Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog

New: "The Porn Myth: Exposing the Reality Behind the Fantasy of Pornography"

New: The Porn Myth: Exposing the Reality Behind the Fantasy of Pornography

by Matthew Fradd

The Porn Myth is a non-religious response to the commonly held belief that pornography is a harmless or even beneficial pastime. Author Matt Fradd draws on the experience of porn performers and users, and the expertise of neurologists, sociologists, and psychologists to demonstrate that pornography is destructive to individuals, relationships, and society. He provides insightful arguments, supported by the latest scientific research, to discredit the fanciful claims used to defend and promote pornography.

This book explains the neurological reasons porn is addictive, helps individuals learn how to be free of porn, and offers real help to the parents and the spouses of porn users. Because recent research on pornography's harmful effects on the brain validates the experiences of countless porn users, there is a growing wave of passionate individuals trying to change the pro-porn cultural norm-by inspiring others to pursue real love and to avoid its hollow counterfeit.

Matt Fradd and this book are part of that movement, which is aiding the many men and women who are seeking a love untainted by warped perceptions of intimacy and rejecting the influence of porn in their lives.

Matt Fradd is the founder and executive director of The Porn Effect, a website dedicated to exposing the reality behind the fantasy of porn and offering help. He speaks to about 50,000 people every year on the harmful effects of pornography and how to free from it. He is the author of several books, including Delivered: True Stories of Men and Women Who Turned From Porn to Purity.

"I love how Matt has put the decision of whether porn is empowering to women squarely in the readers' hands, by providing an unbiased view of relevant information from multiple sources."
— Crissy Moran, Former Porn Performer

"More than a book, The Porn Myth is an invitation—a timely and clear invitation to love more purely, connect with others more authentically, and experience joy more fully."
— Jill Manning, PhD, LMFT, Author, What's the Big Deal about Pornography: A Guide for the Internet Generation

"One of the most compelling ways to engage the culture on pornography is to meet it on the field of scientific research with level-headed arguments. Matt Fradd does this, laying out a framework for exposing the negative impact of pornography and rethinking our passive consumption of digital sexuality."
— William Struthers, PhD, Author, Wired for Intimacy

"Matt Fradd provides insightful arguments, with the latest research, on nearly every subject relevant to porn—from the dangers of the porn industry to the negative effects porn has on the brain. He equips you to discuss the real harm of pornography and to dispel its myths."
— Dawn Hawkins, Vice President and Executive Director, National Center on Sexual Exploitation

"You will want to obtain at least three copies of The Porn Myth—one for you, one for your favorite minister or counselor, and one to keep on hand to give others."
— Ron DeHaas, Founder and CEO, Covenant Eyes

"The Porn Myth can help you to separate the myths from the facts about porn and to reclaim real love. It counters the falsehoods that have helped to spread porn addiction and sexual dysfunction, and inspires us to take action against them."
— Clay Olsen, CEO and Cofounder, Fight the New Drug

"Matt Fradd does a great job of debunking the myth that porn is harmless and even healthy. For winning a debate—or more importantly, a heart—over the problem of porn, this book is indispensable."
— Jason Evert, Author, Pure Manhood

"The Porn Myth is an important book that brings clarity to one of the most important issues of our time."
— Jennifer Fulwiler, Radio Host, The Jennifer Fulwiler Show

New: The Cardinal Müller Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

The Cardinal Müller Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church

by Gerhard Cardinal Müller and Carlos Granados

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is one of the most prominent Catholic figures today. As a leading cardinal inside the Vatican, he has a privileged perspective on the worldwide state of the Church and on the most pressing theological, doctrinal, and moral questions of our times, which he strives to answer in this interview in clear and inspiring terms, as did his predecessor Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in The Ratzinger Report. 

What are these questions? What do their answers call forth from the believer? Many people today do not see the lack of faith as a major problem in their lives; rather, what worries them profoundly is the lack of hope. The key questions therefore involve hope and whether the Christian faith as articulated by the Catholic Church can offer it. 

This interview with Cardinal Müller therefore takes hope as its basic subject. It is a "report on hope", that is, an in-depth discussion of hope in relation to faith and love, truth and mercy; in relation to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church; and in relation to the family and the demands of contemporary society.

Gerhard Cardinal Müller is the Prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. Formerly the Bishop of Regensburg, Germany, and a professor of theology, he is President of both the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission. He is also the author of many books, including The Hope of the Family and Priesthood and Diaconate.

Fr. Carlos Granados is the General Director of the Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos (Library of Christian Authors). He holds a Ph.D in Sacred Scripture.

"Cardinal Müller, a strong Church leader in a time of confusion, offers thoughtful insights on the challenging issues of the day—from the culture to the family. Throughout he points us to a future filled with hope, rooted in truth." 
— Raymond Arroyo, New York Times Best-Selling Author, EWTN News Anchor, The World Over

"This bookoffers a credible, thoughtful, and compelling call to hope in the family, in society, in the Church, and—ultimately—in Jesus Christ.  Christian hope, as Cardinal Müller explains, helps every Catholic to live the universal call to holiness, and to become faithful missionary disciples of the Lord."
— Most Revered James Conley, Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska

"In this wide- ranging interview, Cardinal Müller, in clear and inspiring language, offers thoughtful insights into the possibility and reality of an authentic, faith-based hope that comes from Christ and permeates the Church, the family, and even society."
— Most Reverend Robert Vasa, Bishop of Santa Rosa, California

"Trust in God is the vital substance of things hoped for.  Cardinal Müller explains why faith is not credulity and hope is more than optimism."
— Fr. George Rutler, Author, He Spoke to Us

"It's a bold move to give a book a title that invites comparison with the great Ratzinger Report. But Cardinal Müller holds his own in these very rich reflections on the dimensions of hope in our time."
— Robert Royal, President, Faith & Reason Institute, Washington, D.C.

"Cardinal Müller reminds us that hope in God's providence is our strength and shield in the struggle to live out our Catholic faith in a troubled world. Problems find solutions when we turn to God and seek to conform our lives to the loving demands of the gospel."
— Fr. Gerald Murray, Pastor, Holy Family Church, New York, and a member of EWTN's "Papal Posse"

New: "Marian Veneration: Firm Foundations" by Francis Cardinal Arinze

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Marian Veneration: Firm Foundations

by Francis Cardinal Arinze

The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated by many followers of Jesus Christ as an important part of their practice of the faith. Believing that she is the Mother of God because her Son is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, who for our salvation took on human nature, Christians of both East and West honor Mary in various ways. They strive to imitate her as a great model of Christian discipleship.

Cardinal Arinze wrote this book for both those devoted to the Blessed Mother and those who do not yet know or understand her. Based on the Scriptures, the teachings of the Church, and the sacred liturgy, the cardinal provides a solid foundation for Marian veneration—one that can benefit all Christians, regardless of their church affiliation.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, the former Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship, is a highly regarded prelate, teacher and churchman. He has written numerous books on theology, spirituality and prayer, including Meeting Jesus and Following Him, Radical Discipleship, The Layperson's Distinctive Role, and his biography, God's Invisible Hand, all published by Ignatius Press.

"An extraordinary blend of rigorous scholarship and filial devotion, Marian Veneration gives all the reasons for why the Virgin Mary is – and will always be – at the heart of Christianity.  This book will serve as a reference work for generations to come!"
— Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, Author, Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon

"To praise the art is to praise the artist. Mary is the greatest work of art ever created by God. Cardinal Arinze helps us to see the pierced Hand of the Master holding the brush that created Mary, his greatest Icon of the Church."
— Mark P. Shea, Author, Mary, Mother of the Son

"The Second Vatican Council urged theologians and preachers to present the authentic image of the Virgin as it is given us in the Scriptures, the sacred liturgy, and the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church. That is precisely what he does in this excellent work."
— Fr. Michael Gaitley, M.I.C., Author, 33 Days to Morning Glory

"Simply the best book of its kind in print today. Cardinal Arinze not only masterfully provides the essential foundation for the veneration of Mary but also dispenses with manifold errors concerning Marian theology and devotion both inside and outside the Church."
— Tim Staples, Director of Apologetics and Evangelization, Catholic Answers

New: "Sons of Saint Patrick: A History of the Archbishops of New York, from Dagger John to Timmytown" by George Marlin & Brad Miner

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Sons of Saint Patrick: A History of the Archbishops of New York, from Dagger John to Timmytown

by George Marlin & Brad Miner

Sons of Saint Patrick tells the story of America's premiere Catholic see, the archdiocese of New York—from the coming of French Jesuit priests in the seventeenth century to the early years of Cardinal Timothy Dolan. It includes many intriguing facets of the history of Catholicism in New York, including:

• the early persecution of and legal discrimination against Catholics
• the waves of catholic immigrants, most notably from Ireland
• the Church's rise to power under New York's first archbishop, "Dagger" John Hughes
• the emerging awareness in the Vatican of New York's preeminence
• the clashes between America and Rome over the "Americanist" heresy
• the role New York's archbishops have played in the life of America's greatest city—and in the world

The book focuses on the ten archbishops of New York and shows how they became the indispensable partners of governors and presidents, especially during the war-torn twentieth century.  Also discussed are the struggles of the most recent archbishops in the face of demographic changes, financial crises, and clerical sex-abuse cases.

Sons of Saint Patrick is an objective but colorful portrait of ten extraordinary men—men who were saints and sinners, politicians and pastors, and movers and shakers who as much as any other citizens have made New York one of the greatest cities in the world. All ten archbishops have been Irish, either by birth or heritage, but given New York's changing ethnic profile, Cardinal Timothy Dolan may be the last son of Saint Patrick to serve as its archbishop.

George J. Marlin is Chairman of Aid to the Church in Need U.S.A., an agency under the guidance of the pope. A former Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, he is a contributing editor to the Catholic Thing, an online publication. Marlin is the author or editor of twelve books including The American Catholic Voter: Two Hundred Years of Political Impact and Fighting the Good Fight: A History of the New York Conservative Party. His more than 450 articles have appeared in over two dozen periodicals including the New York Times, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, the Washington Times and National Review. His most recent book is Christian Persecutions in the Middle East: A 21st Century Tragedy.

Brad Miner is Senior Fellow of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C., and Senior Editor of the Catholic Thing. He is the author of six books, including The Concise Conservative Encyclopedia and The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry. Mr. Miner is the author of scores of magazine and newspaper articles that have been published in Publishers Weekly, National Review, the Wall Street Journal, Crisis, Newsmax, the University Bookman, and First Things, among others. A number of his recent essays appear in The Catholic Thing: Five Years of a Singular Website, an anthology published in 2013.

"Deeply researched, readable, and engrossing, Sons of Saint Patrick is a towering work of scholarship and an invaluable contribution to the entwined histories of New York City and the Catholic Church. Drawing on unsealed documents and their vast knowledge of local politics and organized religion, authors George J. Marlin and Brad Miner show how the archbishops of Gotham have functioned as 'the leader of the world, or at least of a world', fusing the Lord's work with the often thankless business of combating anti-Catholic sentiment, declining church attendance, and shrinking budgets. Required reading for anyone who cares about the greatest city on earth and the civilizing role played by leading Catholics in its march toward modernity."
— James Rosen, Chief Washington Correspondent for Fox News, and Editor of A Torch Kept Lit: Great Lives of the Twentieth Century by William F. Buckley, Jr.

"Sons of Saint Patrick is a work well researched, informative, and insightful, dotted throughout with welcome anecdotes, as it paints a history of New York's Catholic growth through its ten often-colorful archbishops. I enjoyed the read!"
 — Cardinal Edwin F. O'Brien, Grand Master, Order of the Holy Sepulchre

"The Archdiocese of New York has been, and arguably still is, the most influential Catholic institution in the United States. The archbishops of New York are the reason this is so. George Marlin and Brad Miner draw vivid verbal portraits of these ten men who accomplished much for both Church and State."
 — Father Gerald E. Murray, Pastor, Holy Family Church, New York and a member of EWTN's "Papal Posse"

"Sons of Saint Patrick is bursting with religious and social history, administrative detail, and hardball politics. Marlin and Miner show ten very different men—all sons of Erin—leading their flocks, loving their country, and serving and defending their church."
— Richard Brookhiser, Author, Alexander Hamilton: American and Founders' Son: A Life of Abraham Lincoln

First novel in series of post –WWII murder mysteries debuts detective priest “Father Gabriel”

San Francisco, February 15, 2017 – Catholic author Fiorella de Maria is a masterful story-teller, often weaving in history – and its impact on current events – into her novels. An exciting new series of books follows this path, beginning with The Sleeping Witness: A Father Gabriel Mystery. The story opens when the tranquility of Saint Mary’s Abbey is shattered by the discovery of a gruesome crime in a cottage on the abbey grounds. A foreign artist and war hero seeking refuge from the world has been murdered. Marie Paige, the frail, sickly wife of the village doctor, lies beside him beaten into a coma.
 
The police arrest Marie’s husband, convinced that they are looking at a crime of passion. But Dr. Paige finds himself with an unlikely champion: Fr. Gabriel, a blundering but brilliant Benedictine priest who believes in his innocence and feels compelled to search for the truth.
 
In a country struggling to come to terms with the devastation of the Second World War, even a secluded English village has its share of secrets and broken lives. It is not long before Fr. Gabriel and his companions find themselves embarking on a dangerous journey into the victims’ troubled war histories and a chapter of Europe’s bloodiest conflict that is almost too terrible to be acknowledged.
 
Publishers Weekly claims, “Catholic writer De Maria deserves a wide audience.”
 
Lucy Beckett, author of A Postcard from the Volcano, says, “This exciting murder mystery set in a peaceful English village has a satisfyingly tangled story, and its uncannily perceptive detective, an aging Benedictine monk, is always one step ahead of the police.”
 
“This marvelous mystery is not a formulaic reworking of an established genre but a wonderful work of detective fiction in its own right. I hope that this lovable Benedictine detective might have many more mysteries to solve in the future. More of the same please!” says Joseph Pearce, author of Literary Converts.
 
Michael Richard, author of Tobit’s Dog, says, “De Maria’s clear and confident writing produces a ‘can’t put it down’ effect. This story will stay with you for a long time.”

Author Fiorella de Maria explains her inspiration for this book and series, “The Fr. Gabriel Mysteries are set in rural England at a time of uncertainty and austerity, as a nation struggles to rebuild following the carnage of the Second World War. For those whose lives are shattered by wars, the conflict never truly ends. The sense of loss, of dislocation, may be felt for many years. The characters Fr. Gabriel meets and the crimes they commit, are all shaped by recent events and the key to the mysteries are almost all to be found in the past.”
 
About the Author:
Fiorella de Maria was born in Italy of Maltese parents. She grew up in Wiltshire, England, and attended Cambridge, receiving a BA in English Literature and a Masters in Renaissance Literature. She lives in Surrey with her husband and four children.  A winner of the National Book Prize of Malta, she has published three other novels with Ignatius Press: Poor Banished Children, Do No Harm and We’ll Never Tell Them.
 
Fiorella de Maria, the author of The Sleeping Witness, is available for interviews. To request a review copy or an interview with Fiorella de Maria, please contact: Rose Trabbic, Publicist, Ignatius Press at (239) 867-4180 or [email protected]

New: "The Sleeping Witness: A Father Gabriel Mystery" by Fiorella De Maria

Now available from Ignatius Press:

The Sleeping Witness: A Father Gabriel Mystery

by Fiorella De Maria

In this unusual murder mystery, the tranquility of Saint Mary's Abbey is shattered by the discovery of a gruesome crime in a cottage on the abbey grounds. A foreign artist and war hero seeking refuge from the world has been murdered. Marie Paige, the frail, sickly wife of the village doctor, lies beside him beaten into a coma.

The police arrest Marie's husband, convinced that they are looking at a crime of passion. But Dr. Paige finds himself with an unlikely champion: Fr. Gabriel, a blundering but brilliant Benedictine priest who believes in his innocence and feels compelled to search for the truth.

In a country struggling to come to terms with the devastation of the Second World War, even a secluded English village has its share of secrets and broken lives. It is not long before Fr. Gabriel and his companions find themselves embarking on a dangerous journey into the victims' troubled war histories and a chapter of Europe's bloodiest conflict that is almost too terrible to be acknowledged.

Fiorella De Maria was born in Italy of Maltese parents. She grew up in Wiltshire, England, and attended Cambridge, receiving a BA in English Literature and a Masters in Renaissance Literature. She lives in Surrey with her husband and four children.  A winner of the National Book Prize of Malta, she has published three other novels with Ignatius Press: Poor Banished Children, Do No Harm and We'll Never Tell Them.

"Catholic writer De Maria deserves a wide audience."
— Publishers Weekly

"This exciting murder mystery set in a peaceful English village has a satisfyingly tangled story, and its uncannily perceptive detective, an aging Benedictine monk, is always one step ahead of the police."
— Lucy Beckett, Author,  A Postcard from the Volcano

"This marvelous mystery is not a formulaic reworking of an established genre but a wonderful work of detective fiction in its own right. I hope that this lovable Benedictine detective might have many more mysteries to solve in the future. More of the same please!"
— Joseph Pearce, Author, Literary Converts

"De Maria's clear and confident writing produces a 'can’t put it down' effect. This story will stay with you for a long time."
— Michael Richard, Author, Tobit’' Dog

New: "Saint Mary Magdalene: Prophetess of Eucharistic Love" by Fr. Sean Davidson

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Saint Mary Magdalene Prophetess of Eucharistic Love

by Fr. Sean Davidson

Adoration is love, and eucharistic adoration is love of Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. In the Gospels there are few people who understand love for Jesus as well as Mary Magdalene, which is the reason she is a prophetess of eucharistic love.

This work is an extended meditation on the life of Saint Mary Magdalene, known as the "Apostle to the Apostles" because the Risen Christ appeared to her first and then sent her to announce the Resurrection to the apostles. Based on the biblical texts traditionally associated with Mary Magdalene, this book helps readers to learn from her inspiring example and to enter more deeply into adoration of Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

In telling the story of Mary Magdalene's profound conversion after the Lord had to expel seven demons from her soul, this book shows how she is a shining witness to the transforming power of an encounter with Jesus Christ. Mary Magdalene is the perfect model for those who have experienced the redeeming love of Christ and who seek to deepen their devotion to him and to the Eucharist.

Father Sean Davidson is a member of the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist.  He spent two years serving at the magnificent Basilica of Saint Mar y Magdalene in Provence, France, where he received the inspiration for this work. He is currently serving at the Eucharistic Retreat Center in the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Long Island.

"Saint Mary Magdalene reminds us of the need to recover the primacy of God and the primacy of adoration in the life of the Church and in the liturgical celebration."
— Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Author, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith

"Saint Mary Magdalene has finally been given her deserved praise and understanding. Her amazing story of renewed life, restored love and relentless devotion to Christ as Savior is deeply inspiring!"
— Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., Author, The Ear of the Heart: An Actress’ Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows

"This bracing immersion into the life, heart and soul of one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented of saints, is rooted in Scripture, history, and deep contemplation. It calls us to emulate Magdalene's 'holy recklessness' and her radical adoration of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament."
— Carl Olson, Author, Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

"Those longing to sit quietly 'at his feet' in times of eucharistic adoration will find Saint Mary Magdalene already there, with her tears, her ointment, her devoted love  and her deep attentiveness to his hidden presence. This thoughtful exploration of Magdalene's life and her gifts of contrition, gratitude and adoration will inspire all who long to dwell quietly in his presence in the company of the saints."
— Dan Guernsey, Author, Adoration: Eucharistic Texts and Prayers throughout Church History

"Drawing from Scripture and scholarship, Father Davidson paints a soul-stirring portrait of the 'Apostle to the Apostles' that speaks directly to the heart of the reader. Filled with remarkable insights, this is a highly engaging and deeply moving look at how the encounter with Christ can truly change your life."
— Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Author, Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality

"The life of Saint Magdalene bears witness to the infinite mercy of Christ, and our world stands in great need of an outpouring of divine mercy today. This work goes to the heart of the identity of this holy woman who was above all an ardent adorer in spirit and in truth. May her example enkindle a new fire of love for Christ in our hearts."
— Father Florian Racine, Rector of the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene, France, Author, Could You Not Watch with Me One Hour?

New: "Who Am I to Judge? Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love" by Edward Sri

Who Am I to Judge? Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love

by Edward Sri

"Don't be so judgmental!"

"Why are Christians so intolerant?"

"Why can't we just coexist?"

In an age in which preference has replaced morality, many people find it difficult to speak the truth, afraid of the reactions they will receive if they say something is right or wrong. Using engaging stories and personal experience, Edward Sri helps us understand the classical view of morality and equips us to engage relativism, appealing to both the head and the heart. Learn how Catholic morality is all about love, why making a judgment is not judging a person's soul, and why, in the words of Pope Francis, "relativism wounds people." Topics include:

• Real Freedom, Real Love

• Sharing truth with compassion

• Why "I disagree" doesn't mean "I hate you"

Edward Sri, Ph.D., well-known Catholic speaker and the author of several best-selling books, is a professor of Theology and Scripture at the Augustine Institute, and host of the acclaimed film series, Symbolon. He is also a founding leader of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). He holds a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

"Too often our culture confuses love with moral relativism, and it is a dangerous misunderstanding. In this much-needed book, Dr. Edward Sri shows us that true compassion can never be separated from moral realities."
— Jennifer Fulwiler, author, Something other than God

"Pope Emeritus Benedict often spoke of the "dictatorship of relativism," and Pope Francis called relativism 'the spiritual poverty of our time.' Edward Sri heeds the clarion call to action and offers practical tools to talk about moral truth with greater conviction, clarity, and compassion in a world saturated by relativism."
— Curtis Martin, founder, FOCUS

Practical, 40-Day guide offers plan to detach from today’s toxic dating culture

San Francisco, January 23, 2017 – Many young adults are tired of today’s toxic dating culture, and want something better than what the world is offering them. Once they hear the message of chastity, they desire it – but without a concrete plan, they quickly fall back into old habits. Now a new book, Dating Detox: 40 Days of Perfecting Love in an Imperfect World by husband and wife team Kevin and Lisa Cotter, helps them to formulate a concrete plan so that they can gain the freedom to love and be loved. Featuring daily chapters filled with stories, teachings, and resolutions, this forty-day detox provides a practical “cleanse” for those who want to purify themselves from the poisoned dating culture and live a life of authentic freedom.
 
Dating Detox offers compelling and clear explanations of God’s plans for love, dating, and sex and hopeful, true-life stories of people who have successfully moved from desiring chastity to actually living it. Each chapter features practical tools, habits, and strategies to live more virtuously with joy and freedom.
 
Jason and Crystalina Evert write in Foreword of Dating Detox, “If we want love, why do we often settle for less?” Reading and following the Dating Detox will help anyone searching for authentic love and give them the tools they need to find it.
 
Kevin Cotter says, “Lisa and I grew tired of hearing from youth and young adults who were held back from a real relationship with Christ because of their struggle to lead a chaste life. We wanted to offer them a practical tool that would help them make a lasting change.”
 
Lisa Cotter adds, “Dating Detox is not a fluffy book; it’s real life and at times it’s quite raw. Rather than preach at the reader, our hope was to walk alongside them as they journey through the detox.”
 
Matt Fradd, the founder of The Porn Effect, says, “Battling for purity is tough, but the Cotters’ book makes it a whole lot easier. A must read for anyone who desires authentic relationships!”

“Everyone has experienced brokenness in relationships at one time or another, and it can be hard to put the pieces back together. Through healing, forgiveness, and personal stories, this book will help you find the love you have been searching for,” says Sarah Swafford, the author of Emotional Virtue: A Guide to Drama-Free Relationships.
 
“Dating Detox will be a real asset to all those who have tried to change their lives but have found themselves unable. The practical advice Lisa and Kevin offer is a gift to anyone who has wondered if following Jesus is really possible as a modern-day young adult,” says Fr. Mike Schmitz, chaplain at University of Minnesota-Duluth.
 
Edward Sri, the author of Men, Women, and the Mystery of Love, explains, “In a simple forty-day plan, Lisa and Kevin Cotter help you form the habits you need to change the way you approach your romantic relationships. Discover how the real love you long for is possible ... but only in following God’s plan.”

About the Authors:
Kevin and Lisa Cotter have worked with university students for over a decade as a missionary family with FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students). Lisa is the founder of Made to Magnify (madetomagnify.com), and speaks to young adults on living life with excellence. She has been featured on numerous video series including Beloved, Forgiven, and YDisciple’s True Beauty. Kevin holds an MA in Sacred Scripture and is the Sr. Director of Curriculum for FOCUS. He has authored three books on Pope Francis and numerous FOCUS resources. Lisa and Kevin reside in Denver, Colorado, with their three children.

Coming soon! "The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise" by Robert Cardinal Sarah

Coming this spring from Ignatius Press:

The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise

By Robert Cardinal Sarah, with Nicolas Diat

In a time when there is more and more noise, and technology and materialism continue to exert their hold on us, Cardinal Robert Sarah presents a bold book about the strength of silence.

The world generates so much noise that seeking moments of silence only becomes more necessary. For Cardinal Sarah, modern man, in repressing the divine, finds himself in a deep dilemma, an oppressive and anguishing trial. The Cardinal recalls that life is a silent relationship between what is most intimate in man and God. Silence is indispensable for hearing the music of God: prayer arises from silence and returns to silence with ever greater depth.

In this long and profound conversation with Nicolas Diat, done within the hallowed walls of silence in the famous Carthusian monastery of La Grande Chartreux in France, the Cardinal proposes the question: can those who do not know silence ever attain truth, beauty, love? The response is undeniable: all that is great and creative is formed by silence. God is silence.

After the great international success of God or Nothing, translated into fourteen languages, Cardinal Sarah seeks to restore to silence its place of honor and importance. "Although speech characterizes man, silence is what defines him, because speech acquires sense only in terms of this silence." This is the beautiful and significant message of The Power of Silence.

In this book, Cardinal Sarah has only one aim, which is summed up in this thought from his book: "Silence is difficult but it makes a human being able to allow himself to be led by God. Silence is born of silence. Through God the silent one we can gain access to silence. And a human being is unceasingly surprised by the light that bursts forth then. Silence is more important than any other human work. For it expresses God. The true revolution comes from silence; it leads us toward God and others so as to place ourselves humbly and generously at their service."

Robert Cardinal Sarah was born in Guinea, West Africa. Made an Archbishop by Pope John Paul II and a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, he was named the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments by Pope Francis in 2014. Nicolas Diat is a French journalist and author.

New: "The Holy Spirit, Fire of Divine Love" by Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen

Now available from Ignatius Press:

The Holy Spirit, Fire of Divine Love

by Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen

Acclaimed spiritual writer Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen presents insightful reflections on the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, emphasizing the importance of the Spirit in the life of a Christian. He illustrates that the Holy Spirit desires to live in us so that we can love God and others with God's own love. As the Holy Spirit descended upon the early Church at Pentecost to set the world ablaze with the fire of divine love, so He wants to do with us.

God, who is One, also desires the Church to be one, Fr. Stinissen writes. The Lord wants to unify all Christians in one holy Church, and all people in one body. The Holy Spirit is the great unifier, he says, for it is he who makes the Father and the Son one God. If Christians let him live within them, they will grow in unity.

Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen was born in Antwerp, Belgium, where he entered the Carmelite Order in 1944. He was sent to Sweden in 1967 to co-found a small contemplative community. His many books on the spiritual life have been translated into multiple languages. Among his works available in English are Into Your Hands, Father; Nourished by the Word: Reading the Bible Contemplatively; and The Gift of Spiritual Direction.

"Fr. Stinissen masterfully illustrates how the Holy Spirit helps us with discerning and following God's will, constructs bridges of reconciliation, and builds up the Body of Christ. His powerful reflections invite the reader to experience deeper intimacy with the Lord."
— Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Author, Behold the Man

"From  the  theoretical  to  the  practical, from  Scripture  and  Sacred  Tradition to the lives of the saints, this book comes as close as possible  to explaining the Holy Spirit in all his mystery and ministries."
— Steven Ray, Author, Crossing the Tiber

"Fr. Stinissen's writing is profound enough for theologians, yet accessible enough for anyone seeking a fuller and more meaningful life. This is an important, inspiring, and timely book."
— Vinny Flynn, Author, 7 Secrets of Divine Mercy

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, but how well do we know him? In language both simple and profound, Fr. Stinissen gives us a truly delightful and spiritually enriching book."
— Fr.Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life

"Fr. Stinissen offers us the kind of deep wisdom we would expect from our own personal spiritual director."
— Fr. Gary Lauenstein, C.Ss.R., Author, The Heart of Holiness

Fast-growing "FORMED" program harnesses the power and reach of "the new Roman road"

CWR Staff | The Dispatch

FORMED is a Netflix-like VOD and digital content service that features the best audio, video, e-books and feature-length films from Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, Word on Fire ministries, and others.

"There is a new Roman road today," says Dr. Tim Gray, president of the Augustine Institute, in explaining how the Catholic program "Formed" seeks to combine the zeal of the early Church with the tools of the digital age, "The new Roman road is the internet and the digital age. We need to take up these roads for the faith, for Jesus Christ.”

FORMED is one of the fastest growing Catholic programs today, described as "a Netflix-like VOD and digital content service for both seeker and believer that features the best audio, video, e-books and feature-length films from some of the world’s most credible Catholic sources, such as the Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, and Word on Fire ministries."

Augustine Institute says there are now more than 210,000 FORMED users in over 2,300 parishes in the United States, with the website—formed.org—having about 2 million page views each month. And more dioceses are using the FORMED program; in 2016, the dioceses of Baker, Cincinnati, Lincoln, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia and Cheyenne used the program with great success. Other dioceses to implement FORMED recently include Arlington, Birmingham and the Archdiocese of New York, the second-largest diocese in the U.S.. The 2.6 million parishioners in the 296 parishes in the Archdiocese of New York, have unlimited access to the expansive FORMED content, at no cost, for the next year.

On December 1st, Cardinal Timothy Dolan sent out his Advent message, encouraging Catholics to use FORMED. He wrote:

Can I suggest one way you might fit some Advent preparation into your busy schedule?  Spend some time on FORMED.org, if you haven’t already signed up.  Thanks to a generous benefactor, all parishes in the Archdiocese of New York are currently signed up for this online platform that provides Catholic content such as movies, E-books, audio talks, Bible studies, and more!  There is an Advent study, as well as a new program on the Sacrament of Confession, called Forgiven.  I especially encourage you to watch this and prepare for our Archdiocesan-wide Reconciliation Monday on December 19.

The featured content on FORMED includes the "Catholicism" series by Bishop Robert Barron and his Word on Fire apostolate; the 12-session video program "Beloved" that "uncovers the mystery and the meaning of the sacrament of marriage"; the classic movie "The Jeweler's Shop", which is based on St. Pope John Paul II's best-selling book

The content featured on FORMED includes Bishop Robert Barron’s entire Catholicism series; "Beloved", a 12-session video program that uncovers the mystery and the meaning of the sacrament of marriage; The Jeweler’s Shop, a classic movie based on St. Pope John Paul II’s bestselling book; and the popular conversion story, Rome Sweet Home, by Scott and Kimberly Hahn.

“The use of FORMED and the small group concept has transformed our parish community,” says Annie Grandell, who is the coordinator of senior high youth formation at St. Mary’s and St. Michael’s parishes in Stillwater, Minnesota. “We are using it to journey through the retreat experience of the Hearts Afire parish-based program, where we gather weekly and then watch the videos on FORMED. So many people’s lives are changing — it truly has been an extraordinary gift during this extraordinary Year of Mercy!”

FORMED is frequently adding new content, including the recent addition of "Forgiven: The Transforming Power of Confession", a sacramental preparation program that explores the grace and healing offered in confession, demonstrating how this sacrament of mercy reveals the depth and bounty of God’s love. The first two “Forgiven” sessions are now available on FORMED. Children’s content is coming soon, including three animated films from "Lumen", audio dramas on the lives of the saints, a video program that is a dramatization of "Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree", and e-books from Sophia Press.

In addition, the program will also soon feature "Brother Francis: The Barefoot Saint of Assisi", a 10-part audio drama from the Augustine Institute Radio Theatre about the life of Francis of Assisi, the fun-loving son of wealth and privilege who gave up everything for the sake of Christ.

To learn more about FORMED, please visit www.formed.org.

Editor's note: Catholic World Report readers who leave a comment on this story are automatically qualified for a special giveaway. The winner will receive a free one-year individual subscription to FORMED (about a $120 value), and two runner-up winners will receive copies of Augustine Institute President Dr. Tim Gray’s latest talk, “Can You Trust God?” Winners will be selected on Monday, December 12th.

Mary was no ordinary woman: An anthropologist unearths the life of Jesus’ mother

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 6, 2016 – For the first time ever — and just in time for Advent — a new release presents an archeological and historical biography of the most adored and remarkable woman in history: MARY OF NAZARETH: History, Archeology, Legends, by author Michael Hesemann, digs into the heart of the life lived by Mary, the mother of God. From her earliest days as a small child, to the Annunciation and her life raising and loving Jesus, the most beloved, along with the lesser known chapters in the Blessed Mother’s life, Mary is examined in new and impressive detail in Hesemann’s book. Popular legends are explored, ground unearthed and contemporary sources scoured.
 
Hesemann, an accomplished author of 38 books who studied history and cultural anthropology in Germany, is uniquely situated to tell this important story of the Blessed Mother. He has participated in archaeological excavations in the Holy Land, and has helped to date discoveries in Nazareth as well as several Christian relics. Hesemann has advised and participated in TV programs for the Discovery and History Channels as well as EWTN.
 
The author’s impressive background is on display in MARY OF NAZARETH, as the reader is taken on a virtual expedition to the places where Mary lived or traveled. Included in the book are vivid, color images of the places described and investigated by Hesemann, including the Advocata icon (the oldest known Marian image), the interior of the Holy House of Loreto, Mary’s Well (the scene of the Magnificat), Mary’s tomb in the Kidron Valley and many more that bring to life in a special way the locations that played important parts in the daily life of Mary.
 
MARY OF NAZARETH provides the millions of Marian follower’s new insight into the fascinating woman who was the Mother of Jesus and the context for and the answers to many long-held queries about Mary. Hesemann also delivers the truth behind the real Christmas story, including the Three Wise Men and the Star of Bethlehem, just in time for the Advent season.
 
Says Paul Thigpen, Ph.D., author of A Year with Mary: Daily Meditations on the Mother of God: “Through historical, archaeological and textual research, Hesemann takes us on a lively adventure that sheds fascinating new light on the mother of Jesus. His personal devotion to the Virgin shines through his extensive scholarship to create a delightful and enchanting portrait of the Mother of God.”
 
For more information, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview with Michael Hesemann, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or [email protected]) of Carmel Communications.  

Available from Ignatius Press: "Last Testament In His Own Words" by Benedict XVI, with Peter Seewald

Now available through Ignatius Press:

Last Testament In His Own Words

by Benedict XVI, with Peter Seewald

The story of the first Pope to resign in over 700 years.

Pope Benedict made history by being the first Pope in over 700 years to resign from office. The Catholic Church the world over was stunned. Worn out by corruption in the Church and by an endless series of clerical sex scandals, he decided that the resolution of all these problems was outside his power for a man of his age.

Last Testament is nearest to an autobiography from the shy and private man who has remained “hidden to the world” in a former convent in the Vatican gardens. He breaks his silence on issues such as:

- The “Vatileaks” case in which his butler leaked some of his personal letters that alleged corruption and scandal in the Vatican (the butler remains in jail)
- The presence of a “gay lobby” within the Vatican and how he dismantled it
- His alleged Nazi upbringing
- His attempts at cleaning up the “dirt in the church” (clerical sexual abuse)
- The mysterious private secretary “Gorgeous George”

On a more personal level he writes with great warmth of his successor Pope Francis, who he admits has a popular touch, a star quality which he has lacked. Much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict`s Papacy--in this book he addresses these controversies and reveals how at his late age, governing and reforming the Papacy and particularly the Vatican, was beyond him.

Pope Benedict XVI served as pope of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013. He was elected pope on April 19, 2005, was inaugurated on April 24, 2005 and resigned from the office on February 28, 2013.

New book by noted historian explores Catholic influence in North America

Kevin Starr's Continental Ambitions: Roman Catholics in North America looks at the life and times of the first explorers

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2016 – For the first time ever a single volume tells the fascinating story of three Roman Catholic civilizations — Spain, France and Recusant England — as they explored, evangelized and settled the North American continent.  This dramatic account unfolds in renowned author Dr. Kevin Starr’s new book, CONTINENTAL AMBITIONS: Roman Catholics in North America.
 
Starr was uniquely situated to take on this impressive endeavor. He is currently a professor at the University of Southern California and has served as State Librarian for California. He has authored many articles and books, including the acclaimed Americans and the California Dream series. Because of his writings, he has won numerous awards and accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, membership in the Society of American Historians and the Presidential Medallion from USC.
 
CONTINENTAL AMBITIONS comprehensively tells the story of early exploration into North America. Starr begins with the temporary settlement of Christianized Scandinavians, and continues with looks into New Spain and New France, and ends with the founding of Maryland as a proprietary colony for Roman Catholic Recusants and Anglicans alike. Influential historical figures are brought to life, and we hear their often harrowing tales as they make their foray into the unknown. Starr dramatized the representative personalities and events that illustrate the achievements and failures of each of these societies in their explorations, treatment of Native Americans, and translations of religious and social value to new and challenging environments.
 
CONTINENTAL AMBITIONS helps to fill a void in the citizenry’s information about this early exploration.
 
Says Russell Shaw, author of Catholics in America: “Many Americans, Catholics among them, know very little about the distinctive Catholic cultures that flourished in North America long before the Pilgrims and the Puritans arrived. Now, thankfully, we have Kevin Starr’s scholarly but highly readable Continental Ambitions to fill the knowledge gap. The story it tells is not only fascinating in its own right but illuminating for the light it sheds on issues that remain part of the Catholic experience.”
 
For more information, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview with Kevin Starr, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or [email protected]) of Carmel Communications.
 
 

What is the truth about the Catholic Church and the Nazis?

The book Catholics Confronting Hitler by Peter Bartley offers the historical facts to answer to the question: what really happened with the Catholic Church and Hitler? Written with economy and in chronological order, this book offers a comprehensive account of the response to the Nazi tyranny by Pope Pius XII, his envoys, and various representatives of the Catholic Church in every country where Nazism existed before and during WWII.

Peter Bartley makes extensive use of primary sources – letters, diaries, memoirs, official government reports, German and British. He manifestly quotes the works of several prominent Nazis, of churchmen, diplomats, members of the Resistance, and ordinary Jews and gentiles who left eye-witness accounts of life under the Nazis, in addition to the wartime correspondence between Pius XII and President Roosevelt.

This book reveals how resistance to Hitler and rescue work engaged many churchmen and laypeople at all levels, and was often undertaken in collaboration with Protestants and Jews. The Church paid a high price in many countries for its resistance, with hundreds of churches closed down, bishops exiled or martyred, and many priests shot or sent to Nazi death camps.

Bartley also explores the supposed inaction of the German bishops over Hitler’s oppression of the Jews, showing that the Reich Concordat did not deter the hierarchy and clergy from protesting the regime’s iniquities or from rescuing its victims. While giving clear evidence for Papal condemnation of the Jewish persecution, he also explains why Pius XII could not completely set aside the language of diplomacy and be more openly vocal in his rebuke of the Nazis.

Joseph Koterski, S.J., Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, explains, “Vicious allegations against Pope Pius XII and the Catholic Church in Germany get mindlessly repeated. The best way to answer them is with a calm and detailed account of the facts. Bartley’s well-documented volume shows the tireless work of Catholics to oppose the Nazi regime, to defend those being attacked, and to preserve the liberty of the Church.”

Gerard V. Bradley, Ph.D., Professor of Law at University of Notre Dame, calls Catholics Confronting Hitler “a magnificent addition to the small library of works which put the lie to the slanderous assertion that the Catholic Church was silent in the face of Nazi atrocities.”

“This amazing chronicle exposes the sacrifices and the selflessness not only of the clergy, from popes to priests, but also of countless laity who stepped forward to confront the unspeakable evil of Hitler and his Third Reich. As a witness of these times I am greatly encouraged by this accurate and descriptive rendering,” says Kurt von Schuschnigg, author of When Hitler Took Austria.

Tim Staples of Catholic Answers says this book “illustrates the Catholic Church’s response to the rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime like no other work to date. It will leave the reader with new respect for both the complexities involved and the enormous amount of heroism displayed.”

Catholics Confronting Hitler is “a redeeming account of the great men, plus the lesser known individuals and groups, that opposed Hitler’s madness. The Catholic opposition to Adolph Hitler is a subject that we cannot learn too much about,” says Paul Kengor, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science at Grove City College.

This book is “a frank and realistic assessment of Catholics during the years of Nazi power in Europe. It is a well-researched and important book, dispelling clichés and opening up critical areas to examination and discussion,” says Joanna Bogle, EWTN Host of The Military Orders and the Crusades.

About the Author:
Peter Bartley, was born in England and educated at Plater College, Oxford, receiving a degree in Political Science. He has written for various UK publications, and is the author of two other books, The Gospel of Jesus: Fact or Fiction?, and Mormonism: The Prophet, the Book, the Cult.

Peter Bartley, the author of Catholics Confronting Hitler, is available for interviews about this book. To request a review copy or an interview with Peter Bartley, please contact: Rose Trabbic, Publicist, Ignatius Press at (239) 867-4180 or [email protected]

Product Facts:
Title: CATHOLICS CONFRONTING HITLER
The Catholic Church and the Nazis
Author: Peter Bartley
Release Date: November 2016
Length: 291 pages
Price: $17.95
ISBN: 978-1-62164-058-5 • Softcover
Order: 1-800-651-1531 • www.ignatius.com

New: "Mary of Nazareth: History, Archaeology, Legends" by Michael Hesemann

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Mary of Nazareth: History, Archaeology, Legends

by Michael Hesemann

This is the first archaeological and historical biography of the most fascinating and revered woman in history, the Mother of Christ. Millions of faithful around the world invoke her as their Queen, Protectress and Advocate. But who was this extraordinary woman chosen by God to give birth to the Savior? Michael Hesemann searched for her traces in Italy, Israel, Turkey and Egypt. Based on biblical traditions, legends and archaeological discoveries, he reconstructs the life of Mary of Nazareth, the Mother of the Messiah.

From the most ancient icon of Christianity to the Holy House in Loreto, from the Grotto of Nazareth to the refuge of the Holy Family in Egypt, from Mary's residence in Ephesus, Turkey, to Mount Zion and her empty tomb in Jerusalem, this is a journey of discovery, full of surprising insights that deepen our faith in the great mystery of the Mother of God.

Michael Hesemann studied History and Cultural Anthropology at Goettingen University, Germany. His 38 books have been published in 14 languages. He lives in Duesseldorf and Rome where he teaches Church history. He participated in archaeological excavations in the Holy Land, and helped to date discoveries in Nazareth as well as several Christian relics. He advised and participated in TV programs for the Discovery Channel, the History Channel,and EWTN. Together with Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, he wrote the international bestseller on Pope Benedict XVI, My Brother, the Pope.

"Michael Hesemann brings the work of careful scholarship to bear in Mary of Nazareth, and gives a book rich in research and redolent of a healthy respect for Our Lady and her only Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord."
— Mark P. Shea, Author, Mary, Mother of the Son

"Through historical, archaeological and textual research, Hesemann takes us on a lively adventure that sheds fascinating new light on the mother of Jesus. His personal devotion to the Virgin shines through his extensive scholarship to create a delightful and enchanting portrait of the Mother of God."
— Paul Thigpen, Ph.D., Author, A Year with Mary: Daily Meditations on the Mother of God

"We pray to her and hold her up as an example of faith and virtue, but what do we really know about Mary and her life? Michael Hesemann has studied the texts, searched the world for clues and compiled the details of Mary's life in a readable and exciting story. He introduces us to the real Mary and all the details of her unique and exemplary life."
— Steven Ray, Author, Crossing the Tiber

"I'm thrilled to have discovered this work, which provides a context for and answers to many of my long-held queries about Mary. Meticulously researched yet accessibly written. I strongly recommend it!"
— Lisa Hendey, Founder, CatholicMom.Com

 

Catholicism embodied: “The Pivotal Players”

Catholicism embodied: “The Pivotal Players” | George Weigel | Catholic World Report

In Bishop Barron's new DVD series, six of the most striking personalities in Catholic history take center stage, the adventure of their lives serving to deepen our understanding of the “faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

Looking for some uplift after this tawdry election cycle? Some inspiration for tackling what lies ahead? A good way to enrich Advent? Examples of sanctity to help you be the missionary disciple you were baptized to be? Then let me recommend Bishop Robert Barron’s new DVD series, Catholicism: The Pivotal Players.

Pivotal Players is a follow-up to Bishop Barron’s immensely successful, ten-part mega-series, Catholicism, the most compelling presentation of the symphony of Catholic truth ever created for modern media. Key figures in Catholic history appeared throughout the original series to illustrate this truth of the faith or that facet of the Catholic experience. Now, with Pivotal Players, six of the most striking personalities in Catholic history take center stage, the adventure of their lives serving to deepen our understanding of the “faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

 

The six are Francis of Assisi, Catherine of Siena, Thomas Aquinas, John Henry Newman, G.K. Chesterton, and Michelangelo Buonarroti: the reformer, the mystic, the theologian, the convert, the evangelist, and the artist. Two are doctors of the Church – and a third may be one day. Several of them inspired successors of St. Peter; another told a pope off in no uncertain terms. Two were Englishmen and converts from Anglicanism: one, will-o-the-wisp slight and the other gargantuan; one the quintessential Oxford don, the other, the quintessential Anglo-eccentric genius. One grew up a wannabe knight errant before his abrupt turn into radical evangelicalism. Still another was arguably the greatest genius in human history, his extraordinary talents ranging across sculpture, painting, architecture, poetry and other fields. Four were Italians (if you’ll permit the anachronism for an Umbrian, a Sienese, a sort-of Neapolitan, and a devout Florentine). Each of them was the human analogue to what astrophysicists call a “singularity,” someone to whom the old rules of spiritual gravitation didn’t apply.

And they shared something else in common besides the passionate intensity of their Catholic faith: each lived at a time of crisis for the Church, and each helped the Church address that crisis creatively while remaining true to itself.

Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena lived at times when institutional Catholicism had become complacent, losing its evangelical edge. By creating something utterly new in Catholic life – the mendicant religious order dedicated to evangelization – Francis inspired in the Church a new Gospel radicalism centered on the joyful experience of salvation. By persuading (perhaps better, shaming) Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from his political exile in Avignon, Catherine of Siena made it possible for the papacy to be again the center of unity for the entire Catholic world, as Christ intended it to be. 

Thomas Aquinas, for his part, grafted the “new learning” of Aristotle into Catholic theology in a creative synthesis that gave the Church conceptual tools that remain powerful today. In doing so, he helped create what we know in the West as higher education, even as he showed the Church how to incorporate the best of the  “modernity” of his time into its intellectual and spiritual life without losing touch with the truths it had long possessed as a bequest from the Lord.

Michelangelo lived during that moment of sometimes-brash human assertiveness we call the Renaissance; his theologically-driven art (which Bishop Barron explains in perhaps the most scintillating part of Pivotal Players) enriched the classically-inspired humanism of his day by marrying it to the biblical account of the human person.

Newman and Chesterton, closer to our moment, were key figures in crafting a Catholic response to the scientific revolution and the other dramatic changes that were reshaping how we think about things – and imagine our place in the scheme of things – during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. That each of them did so in wonderfully winsome prose helped demonstrate the continuing vitality of the Catholic mind and spirit in an increasingly skeptical age, even as they bequeathed to the 21^st-century Church models of apologetics that remain cogent at a time like ours, when skepticism has often hardened into cynicism, or just plain boredom.

There are important things to be learned from each of these God-touched human personalities for the challenges Catholicism faces in the post-modern world of the twenty-first century. Kudos to Bishop Barron for bringing those things to our attention in a gripping way.

New: "Catholics Confronting Hitler: The Catholic Church and the Nazis"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Catholics Confronting Hitler: The Catholic Church and the Nazis

by Peter Bartley

Written with economy and in chronological order, this book offers a comprehensive account of the response to the Nazi tyranny by Pope Pius XII, his envoys, and various representatives of the Catholic Church in every country where Nazism existed before and during WWII.

Peter Bartley makes extensive use of primary sources – letters, diaries, memoirs, official government reports, German and British. He manifestly quotes the works of several prominent Nazis, of churchmen, diplomats, members of the Resistance, and ordinary Jews and gentiles who left eye-witness accounts of life under the Nazis, in addition to the wartime correspondence between Pius XII and President Roosevelt.

This book reveals how resistance to Hitler and rescue work engaged many churchmen and laypeople at all levels, and was often undertaken in collaboration with Protestants and Jews. The Church paid a high price in many countries for its resistance, with hundreds of churches closed down, bishops exiled or martyred, and many priests shot or sent to Nazi death camps.

Bartley also explores the supposed inaction of the German bishops over Hitler's oppression of the Jews, showing that the Reich Concordat did not deter the hierarchy and clergy from protesting the regime's iniquities or from rescuing its victims. While giving clear evidence for Papal condemnation of the Jewish persecution, he also explains why Pius XII could not completely set aside the language of diplomacy and be more openly vocal in his rebuke of the Nazis.

Peter Bartley, was born in England and educated at Plater College, Oxford, receiving a degree in Political Science.  He has written for various UK publications, and is the author of two other books, The Gospel of Jesus: Fact or Fiction?, and Mormonism: The Prophet, the Book, the Cult.

New: "The Wise Man from the West: Matteo Ricci and His Mission to China"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

The Wise Man from the West: Matteo Ricci and His Mission to China

by Vincent Cronin

This is the amazing story of the famous Jesuit missionary priest to China, Fr. Matteo Ricci, revered as a "Wise Man" by the Chinese. He arrived in China in 1582 and died there twenty-eight years later, having developing a deep knowledge of and love for the country, the culture and the people.

Before Ricci's heroic mission, China was an unexplored land bordering on the vague, mysterious Cathay, and the West was no more than a rumor to the learned Mandarins, a distant unknown region lying beyond the bounds of geography. In the person of Father Ricci these two worlds met, and Vincent Cronin dramatically recreates the romance, the crossed purposes, the potential tragedy of that meeting. He shows us ancient China, the timeless state, with a civilization older than that wherein Christianity first found expression.

Because Ricci loved this civilization and honored it, he was able to teach his strange new Christian doctrine with tact and sympathy. He carried much of the technological and philosophical wisdom of the late Renaissance Europe, and thus found favor among the Mandarins, the men of learning who enjoyed high status at the Imperial Court. He learned Chinese to discuss with them the problems in science and technology, and also questions of religion and the hereafter. He lived as a great scholar among great scholars and left behind him a memory worthy of the Christian faith he served.

Well researched and written with an enchanting style, Cronin relied almost entirely on contemporary material only recently assembled, including Father Ricci's own letters and reports, and his account of China written in Peking before his death. The seed of Faith was sown and the crop, even after a century of atheistic communism, continues to grow in present-day China.

Vincent Cronin (1924-2011), was a British historical, cultural, and biographical writer, well-known for his many historical biographies and for his two-volume history of the Renaissance. Acclaimed for his scholarly and  elegantly written works, he was as one of the finest popular historians of his generation, best known for his biographies of of Louis XIV, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, and Napoleon.

"Matteo Ricci was, by any standards, an extraordinary man. One concludes from reading this riveting book just how pertinent Ricci remains to both modern China and to the Church, ever ancient and ever new."
— James V. Schall, S.J., From the Foreword

"A book which does for once deserve the all too lightly used adjective 'outstanding.' "
— Honor Tracy, New Statesman

"A delightfully told story of a truly remarkable man."
— Rodney Gilbert, New York Herald Tribune