Books Received

 

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3/14/24

Too Small a World: The Life of Mother Frances Cabrini by Theodore Maynard, Foreword by Timothy Cardinal Dolan (Ignatius). Maynard traces Cabrini’s journey from her humble beginnings in northern Italy to her pioneering mission across the United States serving the poor and the sick on a massive scale. Between her work with immigrants (in New York, Denver, Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans, and beyond), her building of schools, orphanages, and hospitals, and her founding of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Cabrini’s entrepreneurial work would change the course of American history, marking it with Christ’s mercy.

2/17/24

The Detransition Diaries by Jennifer Lahl and Kallie Fell (Ignatius). The book recounts the stories of five women and two men who felt they were born in the wrong body and believed the lie they were told by peers, teachers, and medical professionals that they could be their “true” selves by medically and surgically altering their bodies to match the opposite sex, providing an analysis of how this dark chapter in medical abuse might end and what is needed for medicine to regain its obligation to do no harm.

12/12/23

He Gave Us So Much: A Tribute to Benedict XVI (Ignatius). “Benedict XVI was a spiritual master,” writes Robert Cardinal Sarah of his longtime mentor, after his death early 2023. “His very precise and profound theological thought is rooted in an authentic mystical and spiritual experience.” This book offers not an academic analysis of Ratzinger’s intellectual work, but a personal sketch of the “soul of Joseph Ratzinger”, a glimpse into “the secret recesses of his heart”.

12/3/23

Life-Giving Wounds: A Catholic Guide to Healing for Adult Children of Divorce or Separation by Dr. Daniel and Bethany Meola (Ignatius). Over half of the people in the United States will experience the divorce of their parents, statistics say. Yet no matter how “normal” divorce becomes, it always inflicts a profound wound on families—not only the parents but their children, whether young or grown. If left untended, this break could pain them for the rest of their lives, tingeing their relationships, their faith, and their capacity for joy.

11/18/23

The Good the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions by Joseph Pearce (Ignatius). Christ is “the way, and the truth, and the life”; but fallen mankind, although made in Christ’s image, is not so pure. Human history—including Church history—is a tapestry woven of three threads: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. This book tells the story of Christendom over two millennia, focusing on what was good, bad, and beautiful in each century.

11/2/23

To Die Well: A Catholic Neurosurgeon’s Guide to the End of Life by Stephen E. Doran, M.D. (Ignatius). Dr. Doran draws on his vast experience to present the Catholic perspective on the art of dying well. The spiritual and moral issues related to death and the process of dying can be challenging and complicated; this book will help readers contemplate, pray about, and prepare for the end of their earthly lives.

10/23/23

Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism by Deacon Harold Burker-Sivers (Ignatius). A look at Critical Race Theory, Liberation Theology, and the Black Lives Matter Movement, weighing their merits. Burke-Sivers asks in each case whether there might be anything contained in them that Catholics can use to facilitate the healing and reconciliation of racial division. A truly Catholic response to racism must begin locally, in our own parishes, towns, and homes, in the here and now. Ameliorating racism will require hard work, humility, vulnerability, sacrifice, and love.

10/12/23

That Was Father Stu: A Memoir of My Priestly Brother and Friend by Fr. Bart Tolleson (Ignatius). As the exuberant, edgy Father Stu confronted a rare degenerative disease, the former brawler and professional boxer used every ounce of his declining strength to fight the good fight for souls. Also included in this book is the enduring legacy of Father Stu, whose moving story continues to draw people closer to God, especially in times of suffering. His life inspired actor Mark Wahlberg to produce the film drama Father Stu, in which Wahlberg plays the title role. Father Bart, who was consulted by the makers of the film, provides interesting background on the movie.

10/12/23

Pell Contra Mundum edited by Fr. Robert Siricco (Connor Court). The world groans and the Church stumbles. Men fail to act and inspire. To whom can we turn for an example? George Cardinal Pell. A white martyr with insights into the spirit of this age and the ongoing crisis in the Church. A skilled administrator and captivating preacher. A celebration of a life lived against the world and for the Lord and His Church that brings together writings from the late Cardinal Pell and contributions from Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Rev. Robert A. Sirico, Danny Casey, and George Weigel.

10/2/23

Science at the Doorstep to God: Science and Reason in Support of God, the Soul, and Life after Death by Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. (Ignatius). This is the most comprehensive scientific treatment of God and the afterlife to date. It combines the natural scientific method, metaphysical method, medical studies, anthropological and genetics studies, and phenomenological descriptions, showing how each distinct method and data set reinforces the others.

9/20/23

Triumph: The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church (A 2,000-Year History) by H.W. Crocker III (Regnery). For 2,000 years, Catholicism—the largest religion in the world and in the United States—has shaped global history on a scale unequaled by any other institution. Triumph is a brawling, colorful history full of inspiring pageantry and spirited polemic that will exhilarate, amuse, and infuriate as it extols the power and the glory the Catholic Church and the gripping stories of some of its greatest men and women.

9/18/23

Ways of Confucius and of Christ: From Prime Minister of China to Benedictine Monk by Dom Pierre-Célestin Lu, O.S.B. [Lu Zhengxiang] (Ignatius). The historical and spiritual riches of Chinese Christianity have barely begun to be tapped in the West. Lu’s story is a true treasure, embodying the challenges and the triumphs of the Christian communities in the Far East. Lu truly lived out the unity of East and West, testifying to the real catholicity of truth and goodness.

8/21/23

Pondering the Permanent Things: Reflections on Faith, Art, and Culture by Thomas Howard with a foreword by Peter Kreeft and compiled by Keith Call (Ignatius).

God fashioned the universe as a seamless fabric, a marvelous, unified, orderly creation. But man’s sin tore it asunder, disrupting its great cosmic harmonies. Only Christ could make the symphony ring out again. And through a dazzling array of literature, music, sculpture, art, theater, and dance, men and women of faith, too, can work with Christ to mend the tear in the universe. According to the late Professor Howard, the poet and the prophet both speak a loud voice against the tide of secularism and eventual destruction.

8/14/23

What Is Christianity? The Last Writings by Benedict XVI (Ignatius). After Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI resigned from the papacy in 2013, he never stopped thinking or writing. Near the end of his life, he and editor Elio Guerriero gathered together a whole volume of new material, dealing with the themes closest to his heart. The pope asked that it be published upon his death.

8/8/23

There and Back Again: A Somewhat Religious Odyessy by Fr. Dwight Longenecker(Ignatius). This story of one man’s amazing journey from Protestant fundamentalism through the Church of England to the Catholic priesthood offers an inspiring tale of God’s providence, and the truth that “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.”

7/20/23

Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith: Are We Alone in the Universe with God and the Angels? by Paul Thigpen (TAN). Thigpen begins with a fascinating historical survey of the public conversation about ETI, tracing the thought of prominent Catholics and others. Well-known figures such as Plato, Saint John Chrysostom, René Descartes, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, and C. S. Lewis all speculated about the possibilities of life beyond our planet. Even Catholic saints and blesseds spoke of ETI, such as John Paul II, Padre Pio, and Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich.

6/26/23

The Leaven of the Saints: Bringing Christ into a Fallen World by Dawn Marie Beutner (Ignatius). How can we be part of the kingdom of heaven here and now and spread it to others, like leaven causing a lump of dough to rise and expand? Just look at the lives of the saints. Over the past two millennia, the Church has recognized thousands of men and women who have loved and imitated Christ so wholeheartedly that they transformed the world around them—as they were transformed themselves.

6/17/23

Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers by Courtney Mares (Ignatius). How does a city boy who only lived to the age of fifteen “go viral” more than a decade after he died? Discover the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be beatified by the Catholic Church. Born in 1991, the same year as the launch of the World Wide Web, Carlo has been hailed by the pope as an example of love and holiness in our complex digital age. This tech-savvy Italian teen has shown the world that computer coding and video games are no obstacle to sainthood.

6/16/23

This Is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire). This short (110 pages) book starts from the premise that we’re in a crisis: 69% of Catholics say they do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This is a spiritual disaster because the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” Bishop Barron offers a threefold analysis of the Eucharist as sacred meal, sacrifice, and Real Presence, helping readers to understand the sacrament of Jesus’ Body and Blood more thoroughly so that they might fall in love with him more completely.

6/14/23

Finding the Light: Science and its Vision by James A. Cannon (Xulon Press). A book that explains the development of classical and modern physics, and breakthroughs by a renowned medical research scientist. It explains how modern physics favors realism, over idealism, as the philosophical and ethical foundation of science. It describes growth in Christian faith by eminent scientists. It harmonizes scientific knowledge, philosophical knowledge, and faith, -a divine gift illuminating the mind and heart.

6/2/23

The Singing-Masters: Church Fathers from Greek East and Latin West by Aidan Nichols, O.P. Ignatius). heSinging-Masters, written by the author of Rome and the Eastern Churches, is a passionate, personalized account of the theological achievement of eighteen of the Church Fathers. Ten come from the Greek East: Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil the Great, Cyril of Alexandria, Denys the Areopagite, Maximus the Confessor, and John Damascene. Eight come from the Latin West: Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Leo the Great, Gregory the Great, and Bede the Venerable.

5/25/23

The People’s Justice: Clarence Thomas and the Constitutional Stories That Define Him by Amul Thapur (Regnery Gateway). Every day, Americans go to court. Invoking the Constitution, they fight for their homes, for a better education for their children, and to save their cities from violence. Recounting the stories of a handful of these ordinary Americans whose struggles for justice reached the Supreme Court, Thapar shines new light on the heart and mind of Clarence Thomas.

5/15/23

Church Councils: 100 Questions and Answers by Paul Senz (Ignatius). With a foreword by Mike Aquilina, Since the days of the apostles, the Church’s pastors and teachers have met, when necessary, to defend and explain the Catholic faith. From the “Council of Jerusalem” in the Acts of the Apostles, through the Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, Trent, and Vatican II, these meetings of the world’s bishops are some of the most important events in the life of the Church and the most profound expressions of the Church’s teaching authority.

4/27/23

Ukraine Diary by Henri J.M. Nouwen, Introduction by Archbishop Borys Gudziak (Orbis Books). In 1993-94, Henri Nouwen, the Dutch-born priest and spiritual writer, made two trips to recently-independent Ukraine. With extraordinary prescience, he identified in Ukraine certain spiritual and moral qualities struggling to assert themselves—exactly the qualities, almost thirty years later, that the Ukrainian people have mobilized in their struggle for freedom and independence. With a new introduction by the Archbishop-Metropolitan for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

4/24/23

Confessions of a Catholic Worker: Our Current Moment of Christian Witness (Ignatius). For Larry Chapp, crisis is always the norm of Christian existence. In a cold, dying world choked by greed, the Gospel calls for radical love and radical living according to the Sermon on the Mount. Using the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Peter Maurin, and Dorothy Day, Chapp argues that the real remedy to the disease of sin is not niceness, not political liberation, not fancy liturgical dress, not technical rigor, but a free decision to live totally and joyfully in Jesus Christ, without compromise.

4/21/23

The World and the Person: And Other Writings by Romano Guardini [Translated by Stella Lange; Introduction by Robert Royal] (Gateway Editions). The present collection is a highly valuable retrieval of texts that supplement Guardini’s greatest and best-known books, such as The End of the Modern World, The Spirit of the Liturgy, and The Lord, which have remained in print and have influenced generations. He makes a point of calling the works in this collection “reflections,” not systematic treatments. But in truth they “reflect” the author’s deep and internally consistent theological, philosophical, and—unusual among religious writers—literary culture. – from Robert Royal’s introduction

4/15/23

Respecting the Body and Blood of the Lord: When Holy Communion Should Be Denied by Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke (Sophia Institute Press). His Eminence Cardinal Burke unpacks in a clear, concise way the history and significance of the Catholic Church’s long-held teaching regarding who is worthy to receive Holy Communion ― and who is not. Referencing writings of Church Fathers, Pope St. John Paul II, numerous saints, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Scripture itself, Cardinal Burke cogently expresses the continuity of what Pope Benedict XVI referred to as a “perennial Church teaching.”

4/8/23

Life to the Full: True Stories That Reveal the Dignity of Every Human Life by Abby Johnson and Tyler Rowley (Ignatius). Abortion is a scourge on our world, perpetuated by a skewed understanding of love and freedom. The result has been over 62 million lives lost in the United States alone since 1973. Each of these lives is an untold story. It is time for them to speak. Abby Johnson and Tyler Rowley have collected twenty-three harrowing personal accounts that demonstrate the evil of abortion and, more crucially, the power of life.

3/27/23

Let Beauty Speak: The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise by Jimmy Mitchell (Ignatius). The ten principles of Let Beauty Speak empower Christians to evangelize the world by bringing beauty to the forefront of their lives. The book is particularly timely given the social unrest, political upheaval, and cultural strife of our times. The world’s problems cannot be solved by worldly solutions. Politics, medicine, technology, and other secular fields have their place in society, but the deepest existential questions of the human heart can only be answered by the beauty of holiness found in the lives of the saints.

3/23/23

The Coming Christian Persecution by Thomas D. Williams (Crisis). Churches burned. Christians beheaded. Catholic communities driven underground. Governments forcing silence upon those who profess fidelity to the Gospel. These experiences are not confined to those of the early Church or to the missionaries and converts in far-off pagan lands centuries ago. The persecution of Christians is happening right now ― and it is closer to home than you may realize. Essential reading for anyone committed to holding fast to the Faith in the face of an uncertain future.

3/8/23

The Sexual Revolution: History, Ideology, Power by Bishop Peter J. Elliott (Ignatius). A history of the sexual revolution, from the early days of the Enlightenment through Marxist movements to our own times, and the failure of governments and even churches to defend sound principles for sexual behavior. Bishop Elliott records the constant teaching of popes and Church councils and highlights their focus on the integration of sexual morality and personality within the contexts of human nature, marriage, and the welfare of children.

2/28/23

Dining with the Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to a Righteous Feast by Fr. Leo Patalinghug and Michael P. Foley (Regnery). Every meal can be a family feast with the saints. Dining with the Saints brings the Catholic liturgical year to life, pairing over two hundred saints’ stories with an irresistible smorgasbord of international recipes. Featuring dozens of new and exciting recipes, Dining with the Saints provides an unforgettable feast that sinners and saints will enjoy!

2/20/23

Pray, Think, Act: Make Better Decisions with the Desert Fathers by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. (Ignatius). Father Augustine Wetta reaches back into monastic history to answer one of the most critical questions facing young people today: “How do I make up my mind?” With his characteristic wit and novel approach to classical art, Father Augustine looks to the wisdom of the Desert Fathers to unearth an ancient and highly efficient method for resolving life’s most pressing dilemmas—even in the midst of distractions, temptations, and disruptions. Illustrations included.

2/13/23

The Divine Project: Reflections on Creation and the Church by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Ignatius Press). It took nearly thirty years for a forgotten box of cassette tapes, mislaid in an abbey in Austria, to be brought to light. On these tapes, recorded in 1985, the voice of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) walks listeners (with small, careful steps) through the thick terrain of contemporary theology. Now these lectures have been dusted off, transcribed, and published for readers across the globe.

2/12/23

Christianity is Credible by Louis-Marie de Blignières, FSVF, Thomas Crean, O.P. translator (Arouca Press). While faith is a gift from God, it is not a leap in the dark. The Catholic Church states that we can, by sifting the evidence and using our minds well, reach realize Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind. We may then ask for the grace to believe all that He taught. This is apologetics in a tradition going back to the earliest days of the Church, and which includes such luminaries as St Augustine, Blaise Pascal, and St. John Henry Newman.

1/27/23

Adam and Eve after the Pill, Revisited by Mary Eberstadt (foreword by Cardinal George Pell (Ignatius). With unflinching logic, Eberstadt summarizes the toll on Western society of today’s fractured homes, feral children, and social isolates. Empathetic yet precise, she connects the dots between shrinking, broken families and rising sexual confusion, seen most recently in transgenderism and related phenomena. The book also traces the dissolution of the home to signature developments in Western politics, especially the increase in acrimony, polarization, street violence, and identity politics.

12/7/22

Father Stonor’s Love: Letters and Sermons of Dom Julian Stonor, O.S.B., Preface by Peter Kraft (Angelico Press). A compilation of letters and sermons written by Benedictine monk Dom Julian Stonor, who sees the details of our world in all its variety as sacramental. The special value of these writings is the intimate and honest perspective they offer of the spiritual drama inherent in the author’s vow of obedience.

12/2/22

Twelve Great Books: Going Deeper into Classic Literature by Joseph Pearce (Ignatius). From Augustine to Shakespeare to the masterpieces of nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature. Each work played a role, for better or for worse, in shaping the civilized world. Great stories, even when flawed, are a reflection of the greatest truths ever taught, and they share in the storytelling power of God himself: Jesus Christ, who not only taught in parables, but lived out the most dramatic tale ever told.

11/25/22

Women Mystics by Fr. Louis Bouyer (Ignatius). Focusing on the lives and writings of five women mystics, the great theologian and spiritual writer Louis Bouyer shows that, far from relegating women to some inferior position, Christianity has often been shaped and steered by women. The Church passed beyond the collapse of medieval Scholasticism and the errors of the Renaissance largely due to Hadewijch of Antwerp, Teresa of Avila, Thérèse of Lisieux, Elizabeth of the Trinity, and Edith Stein.

11/10/22

The Moral Wisdom of the Catholic Church: A Defense of Her Controversial Moral Teachings by Robert Spitzer, S.J. Ph.D. (Ignatius). Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” Fr. Spitzer gathers data from universities, general psychiatry, medical institutes, and general survey organizations to show that going against foundational Christian doctrines, from marriage to the sanctity of unborn life, leads to significant increases in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, familial tensions, and suicidal contemplation. The numbers speak for themselves.

11/3/22

The Devil and Bella Dodd: One Woman’s Struggle Against Communism and Her Redemption by Mary Nichola and Paul Kengor (TAN). “Step by step, I retreated from God and went forth to meet the world, the flesh, and the devil. . . . I’d join the devil himself. . . . There is no doubt that I traveled with him at my side and that he extorted a great price for his company.” This is how Bella Dodd (1904–69) described her long battle with atheistic communism, an ideology her Church calls a “satanic scourge.” She later described it as a “school of darkness,” a school of “hate,” a school for which she was a master organizer and infiltrator of every organization—public, private, and even ecclesiastical.

10/28/22

Christendom Lost and Found: Meditations for a Post Post-Christian Era by Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J. (Ignatius). A kind of a war journal, written between 2020 and 2021 during “the COVID Interruption” and the violent outbursts in cities across America. Witnessing cultural collapse in every direction, philosopher Father Robert McTeigue, S.J., offers meditations on what it will take to build Christ-centered cultures in our time—what must be retrieved and what must be renewed. 

Aristotelian Meditations by Howard Kainz (Independently published). From the author and TCT contributor: “In this book I include some choice citations from Aristotle’s De Anima, Nicomachean Ethics, Metaphysics, Physics, and Politics, and I add some interpretations, comments, and applications.

10/17/22

Diogenes Unveiled: A Paul Mankowski Collection edited by Philip F. Lawler (Ignatius). An in-depth sampling of the best satirical writings by Fr. Paul Mankowski, S.J., a brilliant, perceptive, and knowledgeable analyst of Church affairs during the early twenty-first century. Writing under the pseudonym Diogenes, Fr. Mankowski delighted his many readers with his keen observations and biting wit.

10/12/22

The Homecoming Seasons: An Irish Catholic Returns to a Changing Long Island by James P. MacGuire (Hamilton Books) The story of the author’s return to his childhood home—how it had evolved, not just from his own early years but from ancient times; been inhabited by indigenous peoples; colonized by the Dutch and English; and then grew from a sparsely populated agricultural corner of western Long Island to an early summer resort, then an outer, and, finally, an inner suburb of New York City.

10/10/22

The Obedience Paradox: Finding True Freedom in Marriage by Mary Stanford (Our Sunday Visitor) Few concepts in Christianity are more misunderstood than obedience. Words like submissive, subject to, and obedient can appear utterly incompatible with the fundamental equality that Jesus offers to us in baptism. Yet headship and obedience within marriage have been preached authoritatively throughout the Church’s history.

10/7/22

Communism and the Conscience of the West by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (TAN). Another of the books in the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Signature Set of reissues of works by the great American intellectual and evangelist, in which Sheen diagnoses the issues facing our once peaceful cities, with history being put on trial, scrubbed, rewritten, and explained in terms of class hate. While communism destroys human freedom, Sheen illustrates how man is free as a result of two guarantees: one economic and the other spiritual.

10/1/22

Preface to Religion by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (TAN). Among the books in the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Signature Set of reissues of works by the great American intellectual and evangelist, Preface to Religion tackles the most salient questions pertaining to happiness and sanity. “If you do not worship God,” Sheen writes, “you worship something, and nine times out of ten it will be yourself. If there is no God, then you are a god.” Topics include our fallen nature, forgiveness, the four last things, how God remakes us, the role of religion in the process, and the gift of second chances.

9/26/22

From the Susquehanna to the Tiber: A Memoir of Conversion from Mormonism to the Roman Catholic Church by Jeremy Christiansen (Ignatius). As he grew into manhood, the author began experiencing a deep, painful disillusionment and loss of faith. He describes his search for God and the truth that eventually led him to the Roman Catholic Church.

9/16/22

By Strange Ways: Theologians and Their Paths to the Catholic Church ed. by Jonathan Fuqua & Daniel Strudwick (Ignatius). The only work that exclusively features the conversion stories of theologians, this book provides a unique vantage point on the intellectual challenges faced by those being drawn to the Catholic Church.

9/9/22

Holy Is His Name: The Transforming Power of God’s Holiness in Scripture by Scott Hahn (Emmaus Road). Prof. Hahn seeks to define holiness in order to better understand our relationship to it, and tracing its meaning through the Old Testament and then the New. Hahn reveals how God gradually transmits his holiness to his people—through creation, right worship, and more—and ultimately transforms them through the sharing of his divine life.

8/31/22

All One in Christ: A Catholic Critique of Racism and Critical Race Theory by Edward Feser (Ignatius). Critical Race Theory, far from being a remedy for racism, is, in fact, a new and insidious form of racism that cannot be reconciled with the social teaching of the Church and the call of Christ. Catholics should oppose Critical Race Theory—precisely because they are opposed to racial injustice.

8/19/22

The Song of Ascents: Lives of Rage and Stillness by Tom Hiney (Ignatius). God calls, whether we are ready or not. The Song of Ascents tells the stories of lives laid bare by love, stories that, over the years, gradually spurred acclaimed English biographer Tom Hiney up the ragged mountain of his own conversion to Roman Catholicism. “These stories,” he says, “are about people turning to God in horrible moments, with faltering human hearts like mine, and finding Him to be faithful.”

8/5/22

The Pope and the Holocaust: Pius XII and the Secret Vatican Archives by Michael Hesemann (Ignatius). What if the negative image of Pius XII’s conduct in WWII is completely wrong? Archival researcher Michael Hesemann has unearthed thousands of documents—including from the Vatican Secret Archives, only recently opened to scholars—to give a startling picture of Eugenio Pacelli as a shrewd diplomat and a champion of the Jewish people, who saved many thousands of lives. Reviewed here by George J. Marlin.

7/23/22

The Chronicles of Transformation: A Spiritual Journey with C.S. Lewis ed. by Leonard J. Lorenzo (Ignatius). For C. S. Lewis, the answer to a world without wonder was to invite us into a different world that would help us see our own with fresh eyes. His world was Narnia, a land where courage would be tested and character forged.

7/20/22

American Pilgrimage: A Historial Journey through Catholic Life in a New World by Christopher Shannon (Augustine Institute/Ignatius Press). A book that draws on current scholarship to tell the story of the Church as it understands itself: as the Body of Christ, divinely ordained yet marred by sin, charged with the mission of spreading the Gospel and building up the community of the faithful.

7/5/22

The King’s Achievement by Robert Hugh Benson (Cenacle Press). One of the most coldly calculated acts of Henry VIII during the Reformation was the dissolution of the monasteries. Monks and nuns were driven from their cloisters; the abbeys were plundered and turned over to greedy courtiers. From these ignoble proceedings came Msgr. Robert Hugh Benson’s inspiration for this great historical novel, the story of a house divided against itself.  Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

6/18/22

The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory by Abigail Favale (Ignatius). Weaving personal experience with expert knowledge, Dr. Abigail Favale provides an in-depth yet accessible account of the gender paradigm: a framework for understanding reality and identity that has recently risen to prominence. Favale traces the genealogy of gender to its origins in feminism and postmodern thought, describing how gender has come to eclipse sex, and how that shift is reshaping language, law, medicine, sexuality, and our own self-perception.

5/25/22

No Apologies: Why Civilization Depends on the Strength of Men by Anthony Esolen (Regnery Gateway). A book that should not have to be written, the purpose of which is to return to men a sense of their worth as men and to give to boys the noble aim of manliness, an aim which is their due by right. Both men and women would be happier if men came to that just appraisal of their worth. The manhood Esolen praises does not boast or swagger, but it appreciates its powers.

5/11/22

The Message Behind the Movie: Reboot (Engaging Film without Disengaging Faith) by Douglas M. Beaumont (Ignatius). A discussion of the cinematic techniques and the genre considerations filmmakers use to communicate their ideas, to help Catholics and other Christians become informed viewers. Mr. Beaumont shows how to evaluate the stories that movies tell and how to discern what they say about reality, God, and what it means to be human.

5/9/22

The Story of the Family: G.K. Chesterton on the Only State That Creates and Loves Its Own Citizens, edited by Dale Ahlquist (Ignatius). “The disintegration of rational society started in the drift from the hearth and the family,” wrote G. K. Chesterton in 1933. “The solution must be a drift back.” Society is built on the family, in all its unglamorous beauty, and Chesterton helps readers to see this reality with fresh eyes.

Faith of Our Fathers: A History of True England by Joseph Pearce (Ignatius). A faith-filled history of “true England”, the England that remained true to the Catholic faith through thick and thin, in times both “merrie” and perilous. It is a story not only worth telling but worth celebrating.

4/9/22

Charles de Foucauld (Charles of Jesus) by Jean-Jacques Antier (Ignatius). A new paperback edition of the 1997 biography of Charles Eugène de Foucauld, the French aristocrat turned cavalry officer turned monk-priest, who was martyred in 1916 and will be canonized by Pope Francis on May 15, 2022.

3/17/22

Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation by Fr. Donald Haggerty (Ignatius). The sixteenth-century Carmelite priest not only wrote four massive treatises on the spiritual life, along with some of the finest poetry in the Spanish language, but also worked alongside Teresa of Ávila in renewing the Carmelite order. Thérèse of Lisieux claimed she found no other spiritual reading that could satisfy her soul like John of the Cross.

3/14/22

Unraveling Gender: The Battle Over Sexual Difference by John S, Grabowski (TAN). Dr. Grabowski lays out where gender ideology comes from and identifies its sources—the poisonous currents of modern secularism, the chaos of the sexual revolution, and the ever-expanding reach of technology. Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

2/28/22

How and How Not to Be Happy by J. Budziszewski (Regnery Gateway). The West is facing a happiness crisis. Today, less than a quarter of American adults rate themselves as very happy. False views of happiness abound, and the explosion in “happiness studies” has done little to dispel them. Why is true happiness so elusive, and why is it so hard to define? J. Budziszewski, draws on decades of study to dispel the myths and wishful thinking that blind people from uncovering lasting fulfillment.

2/22/22

Padre Pio: Stories and Memories of My Mentor and Friend by Fr. Gabriele Amorth (Ignatius). The late Fr. Amorth—well-known as an exorcist—enjoyed over two decades of a close friendship with the holy, quirky Padre Pio, whom he considered his spiritual father. Adding his own personal experience to a foundation of biographical research, Amorth gives an entertaining and illuminating account of perhaps one of the best-known saints of the twentieth century.

2/1/22

Hanging On In There: An Essay in Meaning (Selected Poems) by Marie Noël (Cluny). Marie Noël, the pen name of Marie Mélanie Rouget, was a poet, an officer of the Légion d’honneur, and a devout Catholic, whose cause for canonization is ongoing. Words were of paramount importance for her: the receptacle in which could be safely stored the “meaning God entrusted to me, for whom, when or where, I have no idea. Someone will find it one day or another. Someone or no one, it doesn’t matter.” Presented and translated by Pauline Matarasso.

1/20/22

Terror of Demons: Reclaiming Traditional Catholic Masculinity by Kennedy Hall (TAN). Families are being destroyed and souls are being cast into hell because of soft and effeminate men. Drawing on centuries of Catholic wisdom from Scripture and the saints, Hall provides the tools for the reader to conquer effeminacy and be a man of God. This book is not for the weak-hearted.

1/6/22

Stops Along the Way: A Catholic Soul, A Conservative Heart, an Irish Temper, and a Love of Life by L. Brent Bozell III (Post Hill Press). A tale of ten red-headed Catholic children raised on a farm in the ’60s, just seventy miles from our nation’s capital. Mr. Bozell is the founder of the Media Research Center, Parents Television Council, and CNSNews.com. Mr. Bozell tells timeless stories of family and faith that are the perfect antidote for today’s poisonous headlines.

12/1/21

In the Beginning Was the Word: An Annotated Reading of the Prologue of John by Anthony Esolen (Angelico Press). Phrase by phrase, at the majestic Prologue to the Gospel of John, which with good reason he calls “the most influential paragraph in the history of man.” He unfolds its theological richness by showing how the Apostle John has in mind, not only what he saw Jesus do and heard him say, but also the whole witness of Scripture before the time of Jesus. Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

12/28/21

Couples, Awaken Your Love! by Robert Cardinal Sarah (Ignatius). Based on a retreat he gave at Lourdes, Cardinal Sarah helps spouses rediscover the deep source of their love—God Himself—and the means for letting love between them grow. There is a path to renewal for everyone, and couples in every situation can find again, through Christ, the preciousness of the love that binds them, no matter how hidden it may be.

12/15/21

The Trouble with Magic: Our Failed Search for More and Christ’s fulfillment of Our Desires by Fr. Cliff Ermatinger. The original temptation of Adam and Eve is often depicted as a trivial thing, with our first parents gaining more than they had lost – the ability to choose for themselves good and evil. In this book, Father Cliff Ermatinger shows us how what was lost, was far more precious than realized, what was acquired far more reaching in its damage than suspected, and the lengths that God would undergo to restore His lost creation more majestic than imaginable.

12/6/21

Prison Journal, Volume 3: The Hight Court Frees an Innocent Man by Cardinal George Pell (Ignatius). As his appeal draws near, he grows in confidence that his case is strong and that his vindication is important not only for his own sake and the Church’s sake, but also for the sake of Australia’s legal system. While continuing his daily readings and devotions, and receiving hundreds of letters with offers of prayers and sacrifices on his behalf, the cardinal ponders the meaning of suffering in the life of the Christian, and he determines to accept with equanimity whatever outcome lies ahead.

11/12/21

Wisdom and Wonder: How Peter Kreeft Shaped the Next Generation of Catholics, edited by Brandon Voght (Ignatius). Few figures have impacted the rising generation of Catholics more than Peter Kreeft, the widely respected philosophy professor and prolific bestselling author of more than eighty books. This collection of eighteen essays, mainly by millennial Catholic leaders and converts to the Catholic faith, celebrates Kreeft’s significant legacy and impact, his most important books, and the many ways he has imparted to others those two seminal gifts: wisdom and wonder.

11/8/21

The Greatest Philosopher Who Ever Lived by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius). A study about Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus. If Jesus Christ is wisdom incarnate, and if Mary loved Him more than anyone else ever did, then it holds that Mary is the greatest philosopher, the greatest wisdom-lover. Prof. Kreeft not only unpacks the thought and spirit of Mary as we know her through Scripture and Church doctrine, but offers a heartfelt crash course in the basics of philosophy—methodology, epistemology, logic, metaphysics, cosmology, ethics, politics, aesthetics, and more—all through the lens of the Mother of God.

10/30/21

What Is Man? A Journey through Biblical Anthropology by The Pontifical Biblical Commission (Darton, Longman, & Todd). The ancient story of creation and loss of Eden in chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Genesis. It focuses on four themes: human beings created by God; human beings in the garden; the human family; and human beings in history. Each of the themes is divided into sub-themes and each of these is traced through the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

10/29/21

Behold, It Is I: Scripture, Tradition, and Science on the Real Presence by Stacy Trasancos, Ph.D. and Fr. George Elliott (TAN). From the burning faith of the saints all the way back to Christ in the Gospels, this book plainly sets forth the reality that the Eucharist is the Body of Christ. Just as in Biblical times, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is not a ghost and not a myth, but flesh and bone, hands and feet. “Behold,” He said, “It is I.”

10/25/21

This Thing of Darkness: A Novel by K.V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria (Ignatius). Hollywood, 1956. Journalist and war widow Evangeline Kilhooley is assigned to write a “star profile” of the fading actor Bela Lugosi, made famous by his role as Count Dracula. During a series of interviews, Lugosi draws Evi into his curious Eastern European background, gradually revealing the link between Old World shadows and the twilight realm of modern horror films.

10/20/21

The Truth about Clergy Sexual Abuse: Clarifying the Facts and the Causes by Bill Donohue (Ignatius). The president of the Catholic League exposes the many myths about the scandals, demonstrating that the abuse of minors is a problem that haunts virtually every institution—religious and secular—where adults interact with young people. Mr. Donohue also investigates at length the central role that homosexuality played in the scandal.

10/15/21

Holy Men and Women of the Order of Malta:The Canonized and Beatified from the Twelfth to the Twenty-First Century by Richard K. Wolff, KJ (Ignatius). With a storied history of being fierce defenders against the Church’s enemies, the members of the Order of Malta are professed “monk-warriors.” They act as the noble, chivalrous, and battle-scarred knights while also the servant of the poor and sick. For hundreds of years, the Church has been indebted to them for their military prowess. But the Order of Malta was, and is, much more than what legend and history celebrate.

10/1/21

Jérôme Lejeune: A Man of Science and Conscience by Aude Dugast (Ignatius). A pioneer of modern genetics, Dr. Lejeune discovered the chromosomal defect that causes Down’s. International acclaim followed, but more important to this doctor—dazzled by the beauty of every human life—was improving the care of his patients with Down syndrome.

9/22/21

Jesuit at Large: Essays and Reviews by Paul V. Mankowski, S.J. (Ignatius). Father Paul Mankowski, S.J. (1953–2020), was one of the most brilliant and scintillating Catholic writers of our time. His essays and reviews, collected here for the first time, display a unique wit, a singular breadth of learning, and a penetrating insight into the challenges of Catholic life in the postmodern world.

9/10/21

Heroic Habits: Discovering the Soul’s Potential for Greatness by Fr. Ezra Sullivan, OP (TAN). You are made for greatness. Not mediocrity. Not mere goodness. Greatness. The structure of your life, your human nature, your unique body, your emotions—everything about you is oriented to your perfection. But how are we to reach greatness?

9/8/21

Providence Blue: A Fantasy Quest by David Pinault (Ignatius). A novel that imagines the strange underworld journey of fantasy novelist Robert E. Howard after his suicide: through Texas flatlands, ancient Egyptian ruins, and New England city gutters. Meanwhile, as his girlfriend Novalyne Price investigates what caused the tragedy and is led to Providence, Rhode Island, home of the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, where she makes a terrifying, life-changing discovery.

7/16/21

Saint Dominic’s Way of Life: A Path to Knowing and Loving God by Patrick Mary Briscoe OP and Jacob Bertrand Janczyk OP (Our Sunday Visitor). Few Catholics know much about St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order who died in 1221. Unlike Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Ávila, or Ignatius of Loyola, Dominic left no deposit of writings to be examined and built upon. Yet he still has much to teach us today in the way of life he left to the Church.

7/5/21

John Fisher and Thomas More: Keeping Their Souls While Losing Their Heads by Robert J. Conrad Jr. with a foreword by Hadley Arkes (TAN). Judge Conrad celebrates the great English martyrs in a collection of stories from their lives, demonstrating how their sanctity and integrity carried them and those who loved them through tumultuous and heart-wrenching times which, perhaps surprisingly, bear a striking resemblance to our own.

6/26/21

Plain Talks on Marriage by Fulgence Meyer, OFM (TAN). First published in the 1920s, the book offers practical counsel and wisdom relevant for every Catholic married couple and those preparing for marriage. Specifically, this book addresses how to form a truly Catholic home, the challenges and various sins that destroy marital love, and above all, how spousal love ought to flourish.

Parenting for Eternity> A Guide to Raising Children in Holy Mother Church by Conor Gallagher (TAN). A trillion years from now, your child will be either in Heaven or in Hell. And this is only the beginning of eternity. In light of this eternal perspective, the time is now, Dear Parent, to raise your child to live entirely for Christ and His Church.

6/24/21

Custos: Total Consecration through Saint Joseph by Devin Schadt (TAN). A one-of-a-kind 33-day consecration and spiritual boot camp that helps men who are or will be fathers to encounter the real St. Joseph, walk with him, and become like him. The book provides a unique combination of daily biblical reflections based on St. Joseph, daily prayers, and spiritual practices. [Note: the link is to the Kindle edition.]

6/14/21

Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz by Kevin Wells (Ignatius). The story of a different kind of American hero, a missionary priest who helped change post-war Korea despite facing corruption, slander, persecution, and death for the sake of God’s poor. “What Father Al managed to do is beyond the pale”, said his longtime collaborator Monsignor James Golasinski. “He was the boldest man I ever knew. He feared nothing.”

5/22/21

Six Popes: A Son of the Church Remembers by Monsignor Hilary C. Franco (Humanix Books). A unique eyewitness account of many of the events and movements that shaped our world and the Catholic Church. As a young man, Msgr. Franco attended Rome’s premier seminary, soon after becoming the special assistant to Archbishop Fulton Sheen, as well as working at Vatican II and, later, the Church’s diplomatic missions in Washington and the U. N. He also recalls the people he came to know: from U.S. presidents and foreign heads of state to religious leaders like St. Padre Pio and St. Mother Teresa.

Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology by Noelle Mering (TAN). The long-simmering crisis that grips our culture has exploded in recent years, leaving us divided and intransigent. Discourse seems futile when we are no longer a people with shared principles or even a shared understanding of reality. What seems obvious to one person is patently absurd to the next. But there is a road to restoration, and it begins with identifying and understanding the operating principles of the Woke movement.

5/20/21

Parents of the Saints: Over 100 Parents Who Formed Great Saints by Patrick O’Hearn (TAN). As we study the lives of the saints, it is easy to forget the role that their parents in their formation and ultimate salvation. This book describes the hidden heroes behind Faustina, Giana Molla, Josemaría Escrivá, John Paul II, Maximilian Kolbe, Padre Pio, and countless others.

5/13/21

How to Read (and write) Like a Catholic by Joshua Hren (TAN). A sweeping survey of some of the finest literary works ever written by our fallen and yet redeemed race. Hren takes readers on a tour that spans centuries and explores our broken path to salvation, passing through stories known to many but perhaps understood by few, and others that merit a broader readership.

5/8/21

Prison Journal, Volume 2: The State Court Rejects the Appeal by George Cardinal Pell (Ignatius). Innocent! That final verdict came after George Cardinal Pell endured a grueling four years of accusations, investigations, trials, public humiliations, and more than a year of imprisonment after being convicted by an Australian court of a crime he did not commit.

Love Never Fails: Living the Catholic Faith in Our Daily Lives by Bishop Donald Hying )Ignatius). Ranging from the interior life of prayer and devotion to the practicalities of evangelization and virtue, Bishop Hying offers contemporary and practical insights into the depths of the Catholic faith and how to live it with heroism and humility.

5/1/21

Padre Pio: Encounters with a Spritiual Daughter from Pietrelcina by Graziella DeNunzio Mandato (TAN). Among those inspired by the saint, Graziella DeNunzio Mandato was given the grace of living in San Giovanni Rotondo and receiving daily Communion and frequent confession from Padre Pio’s pierced hands.

The Little Office of Baltimore: Traditional Catholic Daily Prayer (TAN). A version of the Divine Office that is designed to aid the spiritual formation of the laity. The text comes from the same Third Plenary Council of Baltimore that developed the famous Catechism. A beautiful new resource for those seeking to deepen their prayer lives or just a greater connection to traditional American Catholicism.

4/17/21

Before Austen Comes Aesop: The Children’s Great Books and How to Experience Them by Cheri Blomquist (Ignatius). An in-depth examination of the Children’s Great Books, that is, the literature that has had the greatest impact on the lives of children throughout Western history. In addition to its invaluable chronological list of titles, from ancient times to the present, the book provides both students and their parents the guidance they need to read the books at home, leisurely or study formally..

4/9/21

Why Be Catholic? by Fr. Ken Geraci, CPM (TAN). This book will help you make sense of the logical and historical realities that reveal how and why the Catholic Church is who She says She is.  This book will address the questions What Did Jesus Do – give us a Church or Bible; and how can you know?

Christ Unfurled: The First 500 Years of Jesus’s Life by Fr. David Meconi, SJ (TAN). In this compelling new work, Father David Meconi tells the exciting story of, as the subtitle says, the first 500 years of Christ’s life. How can that be, readers may ask, if Christ lived only 33 years on earth. Therein lies the uniqueness of Meconi’s approach to this history.

Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope: How God Brings Good out of Suffering by Steven R. Hemler (TAN). A book that provides a Catholic response to the big question, “Why would a loving God allow evil, pain, and suffering?” This includes exploring why God would allow disease and natural disasters (natural evil) and evil human behavior (moral evil), as well as how suffering can help us find a deeper meaning and purpose in life.

4/6/21

How to Destroy Western Civilization (and Other Ideas from the Cultural Abyss) by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius). Professor Kreeft presents old solutions to new problems. They have been tried, and have worked. They have made people happy and good. That is what makes them so radical and so unusual today. The most uncommon thing today is common sense.

3/16/21

Escape from Evil’s Darkness: The Light of Christ in the Church, Spiritual Conversion, and Moral Conversion (Ignatius). A synthesis of the best advice given by Catholic spiritual masters through the ages, as well as a practical guide to implementing their wisdom in our busy lives: a roadmap on deepening our relationship with the Lord and being transformed in virtue in imitation of Christ.

3/13/21

Letters to Women: Embracing the Feminine Genius in Everyday Life by Chloe Langr (TAN). Together with women from across the country and all seasons of life, podcast host of “Letters to Women” Chloe Langr explores what it means to be a Catholic woman. Their stories profoundly illustrate that the feminine genius is not something women do, but rather something that is inherent to womanhood, and yet uniquely expressed by each individual woman.

3/4/21

Jesus of Nazareth: Archaeologists Retracing the Footsteps of Christ by Michael Hesemann (Ignatius). Hesemann tracks down the profound mystery of the Incarnation by which God became man, striving to deepen our understanding of the historical Jesus of Nazareth and the world in which he lived. With Bible in hand, he diligently visited all the places where Jesus lived and worked in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, and Jerusalem.

2/17/21

Not Forgotten: Elegies for, and Reminiscences of, a Diverse Cast of Characters, Most of The Admirable by George Weigel (Ignatius). The world is full of interesting people, and it has been George Weigel’s good fortune to have known many such personalities in a variety of fields: politics, religion, the arts and sciences, journalism, the academy, entertainment, and sports. His short essays about more than five-dozen luminaries are written with verve, insight, and an appreciation for the consequential lives that have touched his own.

2/12/21

True Friendship: Where Virtue Becomes Happiness by John Cuddeback (Ignatius). We all want true friends. But how many of us really know what friendship is, or where to find it? In these pages, philosopher John Cuddeback weaves together the timeless wisdom of Scripture, of the ancient Greeks, and the saints to map out the steep and beautiful path to man’s greatest joy—true friendship.

2/9/21

A Right View of Yourself: The Devilish Perils & Divine Possibilities of Self-Knowledge by Rev. Fr. Frederick William Faber (TAN). Father Faber is consistently optimistic about the divine possibilities self-knowledge can reveal. He prepares you to begin this journey governed by faith, humility, and confidence in God’s mercy and love.  No knowledge in the world can be more interesting than to know how you stand with God and

1/23/21

Our Father. A Biblical Meditation on the Lord’s Prayer by Sister Claire Waddelove (Gracewing). Plumbs the Scriptural depths of the prayer so beloved of Christians. The Biblical meditation of each chapter is further enriched by reflections and explanations, drawing on the treasures of the Church’s patrimony: her liturgy, the Church Fathers, popes, and saints. Authentic spirituality, deeply rooted in the word of God: nourishment for heart and soul, enlightenment for the mind.

1/10/21

A Skein of Thought: The Ireland at Fordham Humanitarian Lectures Series edited by Brendan Cahill and Johanna Lawton (Refuge Press). Ireland has, through its longstanding peacekeeping, its embrace of multilateralism, and its investment in development and humanitarian solutions, been a global leader in confronting and mitigating global disasters. The distinguished lectures gathered here explore the current challenges to policymakers and humanitarian actors as they focus their efforts on larger and more complex emergencies.

1/1/21

Mere Marriage: Sexual Difference and Christian Doctrine by Andrew D. Cannon, PhD (Alphonso’s Publishing). Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body gave consistency and form to a Christian doctrine of sexual difference. It illuminated human dignity and all Christian Mysteries. It raised the bar on dissent from the doctrine of Humanae Vitae by presenting an authentic Christian humanism and seized the high ground in opposition to secular attacks on marriage, human dignity, freedom, and equality.

12/23/20

Crown of the Virgin: An Ancient Meditation on Mary’s Beauty, Virtue, and Sanctity by St. Ildephonsus od Toledo translated by Fr. Robert Nixon (TAN). This is the first English translation of the Latin work, Libellus de Corona Virginis (“The Little Book on the Crown of the Virgin”). St. Ildephonsus provides powerful, imaginative, and lyrical meditations on the Immaculate Mother of God, reflecting on her splendor, beauty, and sanctity.

11/19/20

Finding Viganò: The Man Behind the Testimony that Shook the Church and the World by Robert Moynihan in conversation with Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò (TAN). Archbishop Viganò’s 2018 “Testimony” called out the corruption of the Church, especially its handling of the sexual-abuse crisis—and specifically the case of Theodore McCarrick—and, stunningly, called for the resignation of Pope Francis. Veteran Vatican journalist Moynihan spoke with Viganò, in sometimes clandestine meetings, about the “Testimony” and the future of the Church.

11/10/20

The Politics of Heaven and Hell: Christian Themes from Classical, Medieval, and Modern Political Philosophy by James V. Schall (Ignatius). Christianity freed us from the overwhelming burden of ever thinking that salvation will ultimately come from the political order. Modernity, on the other hand, perverts Christianity, by seeking to achieve salvation in this world. As the late, founding TCT contributor wrote (the book was originally published in 1984), modernity politicizes everything, which results in an absolute State. The distance from the City of God to Leviathan is not far once the City of God is relocated on earth. (With a foreword by Robert R. Reilly.)

11/1/20

The Willpower Advantage: Building Habits for Lasting Happiness by Tom Peterson and Ryan Hanning (Ignatius). The WillPower Advantage shows that we need to renew our minds with the truth about ourselves—that we are not to be passive in the face of our challenges but to use our will and our strength to surrender to God’s grace and transform the world, beginning with ourselves.

10/24/20

Salt and Light: The Spiritual Journey of Élisabeth and Félix Leseur by Bernadette Chovelon (Ignatius). Élisabeth and Félix Leseur began their life together in France as a carefree young couple with a bright future ahead of them. They were beautifully and compatibly matched, except for one major difference – Élisabeth was a devout Catholic, but Félix was a firmly decided atheist. This the story of how he came over to her side.

10/16/20

Wisdom from the Psalms by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius). What prayers did Jesus and his disciples pray? The Psalms! As all Jews have always done ever since they had them. The Psalms are God’s answer to our plea, “Teach us to pray.” Christ prayed them not only in synagogue but throughout His life, and at his death. He prayed Psalm 22, ‘My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’ even as He was dying on the Cross.

10/7/20

Theology of the Home II: The Spiritual Art of Homemaking by Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering (TAN). In this second installment of Theology of Home, Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering refute the misguided notion that homemaking is an unfulfilling and even oppressive way of life about which many women feel a sense of shame or futility. Instead, the authors shine new light on the role of a homemaker as it relates to the deepest truths of faith and an honest and fearless understanding of the modern world.

9/29/20

Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy by Charles Coulombe (TAN). Emperor-King Charles of Austria-Hungary, last Habsburg to rule in Central Europe and wartime foe of the United States, was raised to the altars of the Church as a Blessed by St. John Paul II. But odd as this appeared, the real story of the “Peace Emperor” and his just as remarkable wife reads like a combination of a suspense thriller, Greek tragedy, and hagiography. The inheritor of a tradition of Catholic monarchy dating back to the Roman Empire, Bl. Charles struggled to update it sufficiently to survive in the modern world

9/26/20

The Lighthouse: a Novel by Michael D. O’Brien (Ignatius). Ethan McQuarry is a young lighthouse keeper on a tiny island, the rugged outcropping of easternmost Cape Breton Island on the Atlantic Ocean. From time to time he becomes aware that messengers are sent to him from what he calls the awakeness in existence, the “listeningness.” But he cannot at first recognize them as messengers nor understand what they might be telling him, until he finds himself caught up in catastrophic events, and begins to see the mysterious undercurrents of reality–and the hidden face of love.

9/17/20

Continental Achievement: Roman Catholicism in the United States: Revolution and Early Republic by Kevin Starr (Ignatius). This second volume of the late, great historian Kevin Starr’s masterful work on Catholics in America picks up where he left off in Continental Ambitions, which traced the stirrings of independence among the colonists of New England. Here Starr shows how Catholics participated in the American Revolution and the founding of the United States and traces the establishment of the first Catholic dioceses in the new republic.

9/5/20

Real Philosophy for Real People: Tools for Truthful Living by Robert McTeigue, S.J. (Ignatius). The best of classical philosophy finds its fulfillment here, expressed in a contemporary idiom that is accessible to the layman and plausible to the scholar. It includes a catalog of errors with their refutations as well as a map for living a fully human life.

9/3/20

A Catholic Survival Guide for Times of Emergency by Deacon Nick Donnelly (TAN). Amidst the pandemic and social distancing, God in His providence has provided traditional devotions, approved by the Church, that give you access to His forgiveness and grace, the assistance of His saints, and guidance from the doctrinal wisdom of His Church.

8/26/20

The Catholic Faith: An Introduction to the Creeds by Steve Rand and R. Dennis Walters (TAN). What seems a simple prayer or statement of faith has a fascinating origin. And there is a reason it’s precisely worded the way it is and each word was fought over with great passion. It had to be worded just right. This little book is an introduction to the struggles, the heresies, the truth, and the men who fought to hand it down to us.

8/10/20

Fatima: 100 Questions & Answers about the Marian Apparitions by Paul Senz (Ignatius). A book that utilizes a question-and-answer format to explore the context of the Marian apparitions of 1917: why they were so engrossing at the time; what they have meant to the Church and the world in the century since they happened; and why the requests of Our Lady are so important today.

8/6/20

The Devil and Karl Marx: Communism’s Long March of Death, Deception, and Infiltration by Paul Kengor (TAN). Nearly everyone is or at least should be, aware of the immense evil produced by the devilish ideology first hatched by Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto. Too many people try to separate Marx from the evils wrought by the oppressive ideology and theory that bears his name. That is a grave mistake. Not only did the horrific results of Marxism follow directly from Marx’s twisted ideas, but the man himself penned some downright devilish things. Well before Karl Marx was writing about the hell of communism, he was writing about hell.

8/4/20

Because of Our Fathers: Twenty-Three Catholics Tell How Their Fathers Led Them to Christ, edited by Tyler Rowley (Ignatius). A book that makes the case for a father’s essential and primary role in the spiritual lives of his children in three ways: 1) presenting clear Church teaching on parenting and fatherhood; 2) presenting strong evidence from studies on the crucial role of the father; and 3) testimonies of twenty Catholic men and women whose fathers inspired them to love Christ and his Church.

Sex and the Unreal City: The Demolition of the Western Mind by Anthony Esolen (Ignatius). With saber-like wit, poet, professor, and TCT contributor Anthony Esolen leads us on a tour through the ruins of the West–through king-size bookstores, manicured college campuses, strobe-lit choir lofts, mechanized farms, divorce courts, drag-queen libraries, and beyond. This hilarious guide to a culture gone mad with sex and self-care minces no words and spares no egos.

8/1/20

Spiritual Direction from Dante: Ascending Mount Purgatory by Fr. Paul Pearson (TAN). A spiritual journey through one of the great classics of Christian literature, Dante’s Purgatorio. Purgatory is the least understood of the three possible “destinations” when we die (though unlike heaven or hell it is not an eternal one) and is mysterious to many Christians and even to many Catholics today.

Wisdom of the Heart: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful at the Center of Us All by Peter Kreeft (TAN). No word in our language is more misunderstood than the word “heart.’ And almost no word is more important, for it refers to what is at the very center of our soul. We have mapped the outer world, in fact the whole universe, with amazing exactness . . . but we have neglected the world within. This new book by venerable Catholic thinker Peter Kreeft offers a map of that inner world of the self.

101 Surprising Facts about Mary by Fr. David Vincent Meconi S.J. (Saint Benedict Press). She is history’s most famous woman, with more schools, churches, and people named for her than any other. She has inspired countless pieces of art and literature, as well as the construction of some of the biggest churches in the world. Yet the poets also call her “the woman wrapped in silence.” What lies between these two extremes?

7/27/20 Justice and Charity: An Introduction to Aquinas’s Moral, Economic, and Political Thought by Michael Krom (Baker Academic). Christians are called to be in the world but not of it, yet the divisions between them often show how much they interpret the faith through the lens of their political affiliations or cultural assumptions. Dr. Krom argues that those who want to heed the church’s call to engage our culture need to look to the past. In particular, they should familiarize themselves with the writings of Aquinas.

6/19/20

The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission by George Weigel (Ignatius). The next pope, Weigel writes, “will be a transitional figure in a different way than his immediate predecessors. So it seems appropriate to ponder now what the Church has learned during the pontificates of these three conciliar popes—and to suggest what the next pope might take from that learning.” Reviewed in part by Robert Royal here.

6/16/20

Manual for Marriage by Dan and Danielle Bean (TAN). The authors, married for 25 years and veteran parents of 8 children, offer a modern take on an ancient idea: in marriage, we are called to something greater than ourselves. What can that mean in a modern world that abhors sacrifice, rejects the concept of permanence, and devalues the sacrament of marriage?

6/11/20

The Divorced Catholic’s Guide to Parenting by Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski (Our Sunday Visitor). Drawing on her own story, as a child of divorce, and professional experience, as a psychologist, Cassella-Kapusinski helps Catholic parents walk with their children through the heartbreak of divorce into the healing, peace, and even joy that is possible in their lives.

6/6/20

The Wit and Wisdom of Father George Rutler edited and introduces by Thomas Short [Sophia Institute Press]. Father Rutler is a teacher, not an entertainer, though he often entertains to teach. The extracts from his books gathered here will show readers what an exceptionally good teacher he is, not only because the wit he deploys to impart his wisdom is often brilliant but also because the wisdom itself is so timely and so timeless.

5/14/20

The Scandal of the Scandals: The Secret History of Christianity by Manfred Lütz (Ignatius). A detailed overview that begins with the ancient pagans, passing through Israel, the early Church martyrs, Constantine’s Rome, the reign of Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Reformation, the Borgia popes, the Galileo affair, the conquistadores, the French Revolution, the slave trade, the Holocaust, the sex abuse crisis, and more. The Scandal of the Scandals separates myth from fact: Christendom, scars and all.

Dying to Live: From Agnostic to Baptist to Catholic by Ian Murphy with a foreword by Scott Hahn (Ignatius). A public battle for freedom of speech is where this conversion story begins, but then Mr. Murphy retraces other important experiences of his youth, describing his free-spirited Christian parents, his early doubts, the influence of faith-filled relatives and friends, and the spiritual encounter that made him a believer.

5/12/20

Thy Kingdom Come: Living the Lord’s Prayer in Everyday Life by Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, STD (TAN). It’s the most well-known Christian prayer in the world, but do we truly understand its power and meaning? We regularly pray it. We learned it while we were still learning to speak. It’s one of the most important prayers ever given to the human family.

5/7/20

A Catholic Vote for Trump: The Only Choice in 2020 for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents Alike by Jesse Romero with John McCullough (TAN). If you are already a Trump supporter, it will provide you with the arguments needed to better articulate your support for the president’s re-election.

4/14/20

America on Trial: A Defense of the Founding by Robert R. Reilly with a foreword by Larry P. Arn (Ignatius). The Founding of the American Republic is on trial. Critics say it was a poison pill with a time-release formula; we are its victims. Its principles are responsible for the country’s moral and social disintegration because they were based on the Enlightenment falsehood of radical individual autonomy. Mr. Reilly comes to America’s defense, making the case with evidence from the Judaic oneness of God, who creates ex nihilo and imprints his image on man; the Greek rational order of the world based upon the Reason behind it; and the Christian arrival of that Reason (Logos) incarnate in Christ.

Eight Popes and the Crisis of Modernity by Russell Shaw (Ignatius). A searching look at the roots of the modern assault on human dignity and the various approaches to it by the eight men who led the Catholic Church in the twentieth century, from Pope St. Pius X and his crusade against “Modernism” to Pope St. John Paul II and his appeal for a renewed rapprochement between faith and reason.

Vatican Secret Archives: Unknown Pages of Church History by Grzegorz Górny and Janusz Rosikon (Ignatius). Two acclaimed investigative journalists had access to one of the most guarded institutions in the world – the Vatican Secret Archives – and share remarkable stories about the Knights Templar trial, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Galileo Galilei trial, Pius XII’s attitude towards the Holocaust, and much more. Lavishly illustrated in color.

4/4/20

Secrets from Heaven – Hidden Treasures of Faith in the Parables and Conversations of Jesus by Fr. Sebastian Walshe (Catholic Answers Press). Fr. Walshe, a Norbertine canon from St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, CA, describes the inexhaustible depths of Christ’s wisdom. The Parable of the Sower, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the woman caught in adultery, all these and more come alive in fresh ways, revealing significant details and nuances, scriptural/historical connections, and testaments to Christ’s rhetorical and pedagogical genius that you’ve never noted before.

4/3/20

Into the Storm: Chronicle of a Year in Crisis by Christopher Altieri (TAN). Written by a journalist with many years of experience at the Vatican, this is the story of the tumultuous events of the year 2018, especially with regard to McCarrick and the ongoing crisis of leadership concerning sex-abuse in the Catholic Church.

3/27/20

My Uncle Fulton Sheen by Joan Sheen Cunningham and Janel Rodriguez (Ignatius). Joan Sheen Cunningham was happily growing up with her family in Illinois when her uncle Bishop Fulton Sheen offered her the opportunity of a lifetime: to attend a private school in New York City. With the blessing of her parents, she eagerly accepted, and Fulton Sheen became a second father, a role model, and a lifelong friend.

3/20/20

Charis in the World of Wonders by Marly Youmans (Ignatius). A new novel by the author of The Book of the Red King. A young woman’s adventures in Puritan New England: the story of Charis, “who loses everything and finds love in an age of fear and uncertainty. This book is that rare thing, a novel that contains characters who are both historically accurate and completely relatable.” – Fiorella De Maria

3/18/20

Drinking with Your Patron Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to Honoring Namesakes and Protectors by Michael P. Foley (Regnery History). A sequel to the author’s Drinking with the Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to Happy Hour (reviewed here by Brad Miner), Mr. Foley’s Patron Saints is a useful guide to celebrating your own others’ patrons. Have a problem with the IRS? Pray to St. Matthew and mix up a classic “Income Tax” cocktail to toast the tax collector apostle.

3/2/20

From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy, and the Crisis of the Catholic Church by Benedict XVI and Robert Cardinal Sarah (Ignatius). Pope Emeritus Benedict and Cardinal Robert Sarah give their brother priests and the whole Church a message of hope. They honestly address the spiritual challenges faced by priests today, including struggles of celibacy. They point to deeper conversion to Jesus Christ as the key to faithful and fruitful priestly ministry and church reform.

2/21/20

The Art of Michael D. O’Brien (Ignatius). Michael O’Brien has been a professional painter of religious art since 1970. Though his reputation as a Catholic novelist and essayist began in 1996 and continues on the strength of more than twenty-eight published books, he is also widely known as a visual artist, with his paintings in churches, universities, and other institutions, as well as in public galleries and private collections throughout the world.

See No Evil: A Father Gabriel Mystery (Ignatius). In the third title in the Father Gabriel Mystery series, the detective priest is less than pleased to find himself the reluctant guest at a wealthy local family’s Christmas party, where he finds indirect involvement in immoral behavior, particularly the sale of property stolen from victims of the Nazis and the difficulties faced by witnesses to Nazi crimes in the years following the war.

2/14/20

Epic Saints: Wild, Wonderful, & Weird Stories of God’s Heroes by Shaun McAfee et al. (TAN). If the saints have never made you laugh or drop your jaw, they will in this book. Learn how the saints were not just stone-faced old men. Some of them had quirky habits, outrageous personalities, and did breathtaking deeds…but they all had epic faith.

When the Son Frees You: A Catholic Man’s Journey of Healing from Same-Sex Attraction by A.J. Benjamin (TAN). The suffering, pain, and shame of his homosexuality all but consumed Mr. Benjamin . . . until he had a life-changing encounter with the Mother of Jesus. Through her intercession and following the teachings and practice of the Catholic Church, the wisdom of the saints, and the Theology of the Body of Saint John Paul II, he embarked on a soul-searching journey to freedom and wholeness.

2/11/20

Church of Cowards: A Wake-Up Call to Complacent Christians by Matt Walsh (Regnery Gateway). The average Christian doesn’t know what his own religion teaches, nor does he care. He may call himself “Christian,” but he lives his life exactly as he wishes, making no attempt to conform his conduct to the commands and tenets of his religion. An urgent reminder of Matthew 7:13: “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”

2/7/20

A Time to Die: Monks on the Threshold of Eternal Life by Nicolas Diat with a foreword by Robert Cardinal Sarah (Ignatius). Behind monastery walls, men of God spend their lives preparing for the passage of death. Best-selling French author Nicolas Diat set out to find what their deaths can reveal about the greatest mystery faced by everyone―the end of life. How to die? How to respond to our fear of death? To answer these and other questions, Diat travelled to eight European monasteries including Solesmes Abbey and the Grande Chartreuse.

Contemplative Enigmas: Insights and Aid on the Path to Deeper Prayer by Fr. Donald Haggerty (Ignatius). Despite signs in recent decades of a crisis in the Church, a countercurrent of intense interest in prayer and serious spiritual life is clearly at work today. A deeper esteem for a contemplative dimension of spiritual life has accompanied this turning to prayer, and many people have a need for some form of direction and guidance.

1/24/20

Marian Consecration with Aquinas: A Nine-Day Path for Growing Closer to the Mother of God by Matt Fradd and Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.  (TANt). Louis de Montfort’s classic Total Consecration to Mary has seen a strong resurgence in recent years, with Catholics around the world consecrating themselves to Our Lady. Building off this momentum, the authors want to encourage this closeness to Jesus through Mary, but with a preparation that reflects the Church’s love for St. Thomas Aquinas.

1/17/20

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Points for Personal Prayer from Jesuit Spiritual Masters, edited and annotated by Fr. Sean Salai, SJ (TAN). Is it time to take your spiritual pulse, re-orient yourself to your Creator, and seek His guidance to live your faith more seriously? The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola outlines the rigorous self-examination and spiritual meditations set forth by the great founder of the Society of Jesus.

Pure Power: A Spiritual Workout to Help You Break Free fro Sexual Sin . . . or Avoid It in the First Place by Nicole Abisino (TAN). Pure Power is a fresh, encouraging, and transforming how-to journey from flesh to spirit. Do you have a heart that longs to change, but simply don’t know how to begin or don’t even believe you can succeed. You can! But it takes work.

12/29/19

Celebrating a Holy Catholic Easter: A Guide to the Customs and Devotions of Lent and the Season of Christ’s Resurrection by Fr. William Saunders (TAN). Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Celebrating a Holy Catholic Lent and Easter provides individuals and families with a valuable resource for understanding and celebrating Lent and Easter as a Catholic.

10/15/19

Meeting the Protestant Challenge: How to Answer 50 Biblical Objections to Catholic Beliefs by Karlo Broussard (Catholic Answers). Every Catholic has heard the challenge: “How can you believe that? Don’t you know the Bible says…” It’s a challenge we have to meet. If we can’t reconcile apparent contradictions between Scripture and Catholic teaching, how can our own faith survive? And if we can’t help our Protestant brothers and sisters overcome their preconceptions about “unbiblical” Catholic doctrines and practices, how will they ever come to embrace the fullness of the Faith?

10/11/19

Saints Who Saw Hell: And Other Catholic Witnesses to the Fate of the Damned by Paul Thigpen (TAN). Gnawing worms, unquenchable fire, utter darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth. With these fearful words, Jesus warned that hell is real … and that we could end up there. Since the Early Church, Catholic saints and other visionaries have reported horrific scenes of eternal punishment and have relayed horror of being separated from God for eternity so that we may see for ourselves and repent.

10/5/19

The Sound of Beauty: A Classical Composer on Music in the Spiritual Life by Michael Jurek (Ignatius). This book begins with the basic question of what music actually is, scientifically, employing simple, clear explanations of wave theory and the acoustics of sound as part of God’s natural creation. It presents accessible and fascinating explanations of some theories of the psychology of perception of music, how music speaks to the mind, emotions, and spirit.

10/3/19

The Irony of Modern Catholicism: How the Church Rediscovered Itself & Challenged the Modern World to Reform by George Weigel (Basic Books). Throughout much of the nineteenth century, both secular and Catholic leaders assumed that the Church and the modern world were locked in a battle to the death. The triumph of modernity would not only finish the Church as a consequential player in world history; it would also lead to the death of religious conviction. But today, the Catholic Church is far more vital and consequential than it was 150 years ago.

10/1/19

Theology of the Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday by Carrie Gress, Noelle Mering, and Megan Schrieber (TAN). With photos by Kim Baile, Theology of Home is a simple guide to help reorient all of us toward our true home, allowing us to think purposefully about how to make our own homes on earth better equipped to get all those living in them to the Father’s house.

Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West by R.R. Reno (Regnery Gateway). The populism and nationalism upending politics in America and Europe are a sign that after three generations, the postwar consensus is breaking down. Reno argues that we are witnessing the return of the “strong gods”—the powerful loyalties that bind men to their homeland and to one another.

9/23/19

The Day Is Now Far Spent by Robert Cardinal Sarah in conversation with Nicolas Diat (Ignatius). The great Guinean churchman says: “At the root of the collapse of the West, there is a cultural identity crisis. The West no longer knows who it is, because it no longer knows and does not want to know who made it, who established it, as it was and as it is. Many countries today ignore their own history. This self-suffocation naturally leads to a decadence that opens the path to new, barbaric civilizations.”

9/11/19

A Year with the Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living by Kathryn Jean Lopez (Saint Benedict Press). How could we ever possibly know God’s love and will, and the truth about ourselves and the world without resting in Him? Miss Lopez offers a tour of the magnificent variety of Catholic mystical writing. Featuring reflections from both contemporary saints like John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and Edith Stein, as well as historic figures such as St. Catherine of Siena and St. John of the Cross.

9/9/19

Probes: Deep Sea Diving into St. John’s Gospel [Questions for Individual or Group Study] (Ignatius). A set of 1450 probing questions designed to help individuals or groups, especially groups, to dive deeply into Saint John’s Gospel. No answers are provided, but the questions are phrased in such a way as to set a person in a reliable direction for finding the answers.

Habits for a Healthy Marriage: A Handbook for Catholic Couples by Richard P. Fitzgibbons, M.D. (Ignatius). Drawing on his forty years as a marriage and family psychiatrist, TCT contributor Fitzgibbons presents a book that can bring self-knowledge and healing to struggling marriages. It will help couples identify and resolve the major emotional conflicts that weaken their relationships and hurt their marriage.

9/7/19

How to Keep from Losing Your Mind: Educating Yourself Classically to Survive Cultural Indoctrination by Deal W. Hudson (TAN). Aims to show how to avoid the false open-mindedness and groupthink of the modern “-isms” promoted by the PC arbiters of our cultural milieu.

9/3/19

Christmas Around the Fire edited by Ryan N.S. Topping (TAN). Turn off the television set, put down the device, quiet yourself, and gather your loved ones to share some of the best writing, in a variety of forms, about Christmas. Whether or not, your family has an actual fireplace around which to gather is not so important, but it helps! Included are entries from novelists and poets such as Leo Tolstoy, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Willa Cather, and more. As well as the profound thoughts of great religious figures such as Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Pope Saint John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI.

8/27/19

Who Do You Say I Am? Daily Reflections on the Bible, the Saints, and the Answer That Is in Christ by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan (Image). The Archbishop of New York offers insights on the importance of Jesus and the Church in our day-to-day lives. With 365 daily reflections crafted to inspire anyone seeking to appreciate and deepen their faith, Cardinal Dolan explores the lessons of Jesus and offers fresh new understandings of the saints, prayer, the Bible, beauty, and the pursuit of God, especially in light of the often turbulent nature of faith itself. (To be published on October 29, 2019.)

8/26/19

The Hundredfold: Songs for the Lord by Anthony Esolen (Ignatius). From a TCT contributor comes a tapestry of hymns, monologues, and short lyrics knit together as one book-length poem in praise of Christ in his startling humanity. Using all the riches of the English poetic tradition―meter, rhyme, music―the poet ponders the mysterious man from Nazareth and the world he came to set on fire with splendor.

8/17/19

Unplanned: the film. Now available in various formats: DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming.

8/15/19

The Bible Is a Catholic Book by Jimmy Akin (Catholic Answers Press). Akin shows how the Bible cannot exist apart from the Church. In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries, Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism. This is fitting since both come from God for our salvation.

8/13/19

YOUCAT for Kids: A Catholic Catechism for Children and Parents (Ignatius Press). From the publisher: “An exciting and fun new way to help children and parents to discover their Catholic faith together, and a great help for teachers in the classroom.”

7/29/19

Western Culture: Today and Tomorrow by Joseph Ratzinger (Ignatius). First published a year before he became pope, the author writes of the three legs of the West: Athens, Jerusalem, and Rome. Nineteenth-century Western culture sought to destroy the Jerusalem leg when its “atheist humanists” declared the God of the Bible the enemy of human maturation and liberation. When we lose the Jerusalem leg, the Athenian leg gets wobbly. Foreword by George Weigel; epilogue by the Pope Emeritus.

Annunciation: A Call to Faith in a Broken World by Sally Read (Ignatius). Following the birth of her daughter and sensing the precarious nature of faith in an overwhelmingly secular world, Read, through meditation and anecdote, began writing down the compelling reasons for holding onto both God and Church. Taking the Annunciation as her template (that most fundamental yes to God), she explores common experiences of the spiritual life.

7/27/19

The Devil in the City of Angels: My Encounters with the Diabolical by Jesse Romero (TAN). A Catholic apologist and retired veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reveals the harrowing details of his experiences with the demonic while working for the LASD.

6/29/19

Spiritual but not Religious: The Search for Meaning in a Material World byFr. John Bartunek (TAN). More people than ever find themselves unfulfilled by merely material abundance and prosperity. More people than ever find their hearts yearning for some kind of satisfaction beyond swiping right or going viral. This is because the human soul was made for more than video games, social media, SMS messages, and flashy distractions.

6/15/19

We Are the Lord’s: A Catholic Guide to Difficult End-of-Life Questions by Fr. Jeffrey Kirby (TAN). A succinct (80-page) reference guide, framed by divine wisdom and Church teaching. Its brief chapters and question-and-answer format can be a welcomed help to any person or family searching for answers during a difficult and traumatic time.

6/10/19

Faith and Reason: Philosophers Explain Their Turn to Catholicism edited by Brian Besong and Jonathan Fuqua (Ignatius). Too smart to believe in God? The twelve philosophers in this book are too smart not to, and their finely honed reasoning skills and advanced educations are on display as they explain their reasons for believing in Christianity and entering the Roman Catholic Church.

6/9/19

Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls: Unlocking the Jewish Roots of Christianity by John Bergsma (Image) COMING September 10, 2019. How the Essenes (and the Dead Sea Scrolls) directly influenced the beliefs, sacraments, and practices of early Christianity. Bergsman offers new information on how Christians lived their lives, worshipped, and eventually went on to influence the Roman Empire and Western civilization.

6/7/19

The Divine Plan: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Dramatic End of the Cold War by Paul Kengor and Robert Orlando (ISI Books). Two men with seemingly little in common: a Catholic pope from Poland and a Protestant president from America’s heartland. But John Paul II and Ronald Reagan bonded after they nearly died from assassination attempts a mere six weeks apart. Together they committed to confronting the great evil of the twentieth century: Soviet Communism. Based on the upcoming documentary film.

6/5/19

Reason, Faith, and the Struggle for Western Civilization by Samuel Gregg (Regnery Gateway). The genius of Western civilization is its unique synthesis of reason and faith. But today that synthesis is under attack—from the East by radical Islam (faith without reason) and from within the West itself by aggressive secularism (reason without faith). The stakes are incalculably high.

5/14/19

The Virtue of Hope: How Confidence in God Can Lead You to Heaven by Fr. Philip Bochanski (TAN). A series of reflections on Hope, adapted from talks given by Fr. Bochanski, that not only lays out what hope is but also shows how we can exercise this theological virtue, through being daring, changing our ways, serving the Lord, struggling, and suffering. Includes stories about “Heroes of Hope.”

4/29/19

The Power of Truth: The Challenges to Catholic Doctrine and Morals Today by Gerhard Cardinal Müller (Ignatius). The former head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith unabashedly defends the truth of salvation taught by Christ and the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Müller discusses how Catholic teaching addresses present-day crises in the Church and in the world. (Includes the cardinal’s recently released Manifesto of Faith.)

The Catholic Gentleman: Living Authentic Manhood Today by Sam Guzman (Ignatius). What it means to be a man is questioned today like never before. While traditional gender roles have been eroding for decades, now the very categories of male and female are being discarded with reckless abandon. How does one act like a gentleman in such confusing times?

4/22/19

Common Sense Catholicism: How to Resolve our Cultural Crisis by Bill Donohue (Ignatius). How the three key elements of a democratic society―freedom, equality, and fraternity―have been misconstrued by intellectuals and policy makers who do not respect the limitations of the human condition.

4/20/19

Guarding the Flame: The Challenges Facing the Church in the Twenty-first Century Cardinal Peter Erdö in conversation with Robert Moynihan and Victoria Somogyi (TAN). In this candid conversation with Dr. Robert Moynihan, founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, the Archbishop of Budapest, one of the most respected cardinals in the Church, speaks about the Catholic Church’s place in an increasingly secularized world.

4/10/19

The Catholic Writer Today and Other Essays by Dana Gioia (Wiseblood Books). Over the past decade, Dana Gioia has emerged as a compelling advocate of Christianity’s continuing importance in contemporary culture. His incisive and arresting essays examine the spiritual dimensions of art and the decisive role faith has played in the lives of artists.

4/5/19

On the Edge of Infinity: A Biography of Michael D. O’Brien by Clemens Cavallin (Ignatius). The story of Michael O’Brien, the popular Catholic novelist and painter, covering his life from childhood in Canada to the crucial decision to devote himself wholly to Christian sacred arts, followed by his inspiration to write fiction, including his best-selling apocalyptic novel, Father Elijah.

4/4/19

Russell Kirk’s Concise Guide to Conservatism with an introduction by Wilfred M. McClay (Regnery Gateway). Russell Kirk begins this book, originally published as The Intelligent Women’s Guide to Conservatism, by defining a conservative as “a person who believes there is something in our life worth saving.” From there Kirk embarks on an explanation of conservative political, religious, and social philosophy.

3/15/19

Defending Boyhood: How Building Forts, Reading Stories, Playing Ball, and Praying to God Can Change the World by Anthony Esolen (TAN). In defense of boys and an experience of boyhood that is on the wane, if not extinguished in many quarters of the modern world—and to illuminate the threats our precious sons face from harridans, harpies, and all purveyors and promoters of political correctness and of the misguided and ultimately doomed-though not before it has done much mischief-project of blurring the distinctions between boys and girls.

2/20/19

The Memoirs of St. Peter: A New Translation of the Gospel According to Mark by Michael Pakaluk (Regnery Gateway). This new translation of Mark’s Gospel, by TCT contributor Michael Pakaluk, reveals startling nuances and idiosyncrasies in the original Greek text that have traditionally been camouflaged by English translations. Dr. Pakaluk, who previously translated Artistotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, also provides a fascinating commentary that draws forth new meaning and context about the Gospel, which is long understood to be Mark’s retelling of Peter’s first-hand account. Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

2/19/19

Your Life Is Worth Living: 50 Lessons to Deepen Your Faith by Fulton Sheen (Image). Back in print with a new preface by Bishop Robert Barron, fifty inspiring lessons to deepen your faith from Archbishop Sheen, one of the leading religious figures of the twentieth century and author of the bestselling Life of Christ.

American Priest: The Ambitious Life and Conflicted Legacy of Notre Dame’s Father Ted Hesburgh by Wilson D. Miscamble, C.S.C. (Image).Priest-professor Miscamble tracks Hesburgh’s transformation of Catholic higher education and explores how he became a much-celebrated American voice in America. But what exactly were his contributions to higher learning;  his involvement in the civil rights movement; and the nature of his role as advisor to popes and presidents?

2/16/19

Symbol or Substance: A Dialogue on the Eucharist with C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and J.R.R. Tolkien by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius). Professor Kreeft gives voice to Lewis, Tolkien, and Graham as they discuss one of the most contentious questions in the history of Christianity: Is Jesus symbolically or substantially present in the Eucharist?

2/15/19

Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul with an Introduction and Commentary by Rev. Paul D. Scalia (TAN). The Church has seen and weathered numerous crises in its two millennia, and always one or more of its priests and bishops stood up and rallied the faithful. Fr. Scalia, a TCT contributor, presents sermons by St Ambrose of Milan, St Augustine, St John Chrysostom, St Edmund Campion, Pope St John Paul II and seven others that should be read and remembered.

The Anti-Mary Exposed: Rescuing the Culture from Toxic Feminity by Carrie Gress (TAN). In the late ’60s, an elite group of women convinced a majority of Americans that destroying the most fundamental of relationships—that of mother and child—was necessary for women to have productive and happy lives. Sixty million abortions later, women aren’t happier, just more medicated.

From the spoiling of this relationship followed the decay of the entire family, and almost overnight, our once pro-life culture became pro-lifestyle

2/14/19

For Love of My People I Will Not Remain Silent: On the Situation of the Church in China by Joseph Cardinal Zen (Ignatius). The relationship of China with the greatest secular world power—the United States of America—and the most universal global spiritual power—the Catholic Church—is in a state of flux. President Trump and Pope Francis are major protagonists in this dramatic period. Although what is happening in China has an impact worldwide, it is hard for the non-specialist to grasp what is underway and its significance for the future.

Ave Maria: The Mystery of a Most Beloved Prayer by Pope Francis (Image). “At the beginning of the re-creation of the world,” notes the pope, “there is a dialogue between God and a single woman,” and that woman was Mary, the mother of Jesus, the central role model of faith and service in the Catholic Church. This is a sequel to the Holy Father’s book on the Our Father.

2/9/19

Jesus: Perfect Love by Lawrence Jakows (Lawrence Jakows). Jesus tells us and shows us how much He loves us and how we can return this amazing love. Appreciate and learn more about His love through His Sacred Heart, His Sacraments, His Saints, His Holy Scriptures, His Cross, His Death, His Resurrection.

2/4/19

Knight of the Holy Ghost: A Short History of G.K. Chesterton by Dale Ahlquist (Ignatius). Those curious about Chesterton will have their questions answered. Those who might be dubious about his reputation will be challenged to reconsider. Those who consider Chesterton an old friend will be delighted. All will be engaged by amusing anecdotes, plentiful quotations, and a thoughtful study of the life of G. K. Chesterton.

1/20/19

Steadfast in Faith: Catholicism and the Challenges of Secularism by David G. Bonagura Jr. (Cluny Media). “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” To this chilling question, our secular age seems to respond with a resounding no. People are apathetic. Churches are empty. Governments condone vice. TCT contributor David Bonagura, offers neither resignation nor despondency—but hope.

1/14/19

The Smoke of Satan: How Corrupt and Cowardly Bishops Betrayed Christ, His Church, and the Faithful . . . and What Can Be Done About It by Philip Lawler (TAN). The sex-abuse scandal, which erupted anew in 2018, poses the greatest challenge the Catholic Church has faced since the Reformation. Veteran Catholic journalist Lawler explains why the crisis is even more severe than when it first commanded headlines in 2002, and how the failure of Church leaders goes all the way to the Vatican.

The Idol of Our Age: How the Religion of Humanity Subverts Christianity by Daniel J. Mahoney (Encounter Books). A learned essay on the intersection of politics, philosophy, and religion, and a critique of the secular religion of our time, humanitarianism  the impulse to regard modern man as the measure of all things. It has begun to corrupt Christianity, reducing it to “social justice,” radical political change, and an increasingly fanatical egalitarianism. Reviewed here by Robert Royal.

Search No More: The Keys to Truth and Happiness by Steven R. Hemler (TAN). Of interest to anyone seeking something more or examining the truth of key teachings of the Catholic Church, including those who were raised Catholic and have questions about the faith of their childhood.

In God We Trust: Morally Responsible Investing by George P. Schwartz, CFA with Michael O. Kenney, JD and a foreword by Lou Holtz (TAN). A book about participating in the capital markets while avoiding morally objectionable businesses. Mr. Schwartz chronicles how morally responsible Investing is helping long-term investors put their money to work in accordance with their Christian beliefs.

Still Amidst the Storm: A Family Man’s Search for Peace in an Anxious World by Conor Gallagher (TAN). In difficult moments, it’s easy to react as the apostles did in the storm: to panic, to become angry and frightened. But, like Christ, we should strive to be still in the storm. Mr. Gallagher (a father of 12) offers remedies to the stresses of modern life:

The New Testament and Psalms for Men (Saint Benedict Press). True manliness can be found in Christ himself. This new edition of the New Testament and Psalms (RSV-CE) is designed especially for those men striving to sacrifice, pray, fight, love, and live by the example of Jesus.

101 Surprising Facts about the Bible by Rick Rotondi (Saint Benedict Press.) And oversized, colorful look recounts the story of how the Bible was written, translated, published, and proclaimed, and it unpacks Bible prophecies and examines how this ancient text is a living word—a rule of life and a letter from God addressed personally to you.

Meditations on the Passion and Death of Christ [compilied from the works of] Fr. Ignatius of the Side of Christ, Passionist (TAN). Specially designed for use in each day during Lent, each entry offers three short, yet deep meditations on the suffering and death of Jesus, followed by practical advice for putting the fruit of your prayer into practice.

1/5/19

Unbelievable: 7 Myths about the History and Future of Science and Religion by Michael Newton Kas (ISI Books). An historian of science lays out the facts to show how far conventional wisdom departs from reality, explaining how myths have proliferated over the past four centuries and exert so much influence today, infiltrating science textbooks and popular culture.

12/4/18

The Reason for the Seasons: Why Christians Celebrate What and When They Do by James V. Schall, S.J. (Sophia Institute Press). We can’t be joyful without knowing why we should be joyful, which is why the indefatigable Father Schall – the “thinking man’s priest” – presents these short but powerful chapters on the most important and joyful feasts of the Church’s liturgical year.

11/26/18

The Papacy: What the Pope Does and What Matters by Stephen K. Ray and Dennis Walters (Ignatius). Without a pope’s divinely guided leadership, the Church would suffer the contradictions and divisions familiar to non-Catholic Christians, and the Apostolic succession would be subject to arbitrary, relative, and numerous interpretations; holiness would be only a distant ideal, and the Church founded by Jesus would break apart.

In describing the Pope’s important and singular role as leader and teacher, the book addresses common misconceptions and objections to the papacy. It also explains how the papacy developed and how the Pope is elected.

The Great Discovery: Our Journey to the Catholic Church by Ulf and Birgitta Ekman (Ignatius). A former Lutheran and Pentecostal minister, Ulf and his wife Birgitta founded the largest megachurch in Sweden. This is the story of their road to Rome, from their own intense opposition to Catholicism to meeting with Pope Francis.

Black and Pro-Life in America: The Incarceration and Exoneration of Walter B. Hoye by Robert W. Artigo (Ignatius). The story of Rev. Hoye’s decision to fight California’s “bubble law.” He could have accepted a sentence of community service, provided he’d agree never to return to the abortion clinic to protest. But he preferred spending thirty days in the county jail to forfeiting his constitutional right to free speech and his Christian duty to offer help to women in need, most of whom were, as he is, black.

11/14/18

The Biblical Names of Jesus: Beautiful, Powerful Portraits of Christ by Paul Thigpen (TAN). Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, contains many names for Jesus and Dr. Thigpen explains how each reveals something new and essential about the Lord. Knowing all eighteen unique names provides a deeper knowledge of Christ and a fuller understanding of how the whole of the Bible points toward Jesus.

Celebrating a Merry Catholic Christmas: A Guide to the Customs and Feast Days of Advent and Christmas by Fr. William Saunders (TAN). In a beautifully illustrated book, the sometime TCT contributor explains the historical roots of traditions, such as the Advent wreath and Christmas tree, and also provides spiritual reflections and suggestions for practices to enrich your family’s Christmas preparation and celebration.
11/9/18

Ireland 1845-1850: The Perfect Holocaust and Who Kept It “Perfect” by Christ Fogarty (Fogarty Publishing). According to the author, there was no mid-19th-century Iriah famine in the ordinary sense of that word. It was genocide perpetrated by more than half of Britain’s army, which, at gunpoint, moved Ireland’s abundant meats, livestock, and food crops to the ports for export; thus starving the people.

Mind, Heart & Soul: Intellectuals and the Path to Rome, edited by R.J. Snell and Robert P. George (TAN). In a series of interviews, a cradle Catholic (George) and an adult convert (Snell), offer the stories of sixteen converts, each a public intellectual or leading voice in their respective fields, and each making a significant contribution to the life of the Church.

10/27/18

I AM_ Rewrite Your Name-REROUTE Your Life – Blessed Fearless Forgiven by Christ Stefanick (Real Life Catholic). The words you speak to yourself shape your self-perception. Your self-perception shapes your actions. Your actions shape your life. Affirmations pertaining thereto.

To Raise the Fallen: A Selection of the War Letters and Spiritual Writings of Fr. Willie Doyle, S.J. (Ignatius). A selection of vivid letters by and Irish chaplain from the front in WWI, along with diary entries, prayers, spiritual writings and extracts from the pamphlets that made him a publishing sensation across Europe in the early years of the twentieth century

10/24/18

Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence (The Last Years and Living Legacy) by Raymond Arroyo (Image). In the sequel to his bestselling biography of the founder of EWTN, the host of “The World Over” describes the private drama within Mother’s monastery, her personal supernatural encounters, and the prolonged suffering she endured. Arroyo describes Mother Angelica’s spiritual battles in her cell—including encounters with the devil—as well as previously unrevealed episodes of hilarity and inspiration. Now in paperback.

10/16/18

Nostalgia: Going Home in a Homeless World by Anthony Esolen (Regnery). TCT contributor Tony Esolen writes that America’s political elite has a stake in the destruction of cultural memory—anything that resists the new management state and the elites’ own rootless. But it is a deeply human thing not only to have a home, which is rare enough in our time, but to long to return home. For Christians, this longing to return home not only makes us defenders of our homes and families here on earth but also wayfarers constantly moving towards our true home with God in eternity.

10/11/18

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary: Unveiling the Mother of the Messiah by Brant Pitre (IMAGE). The author of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (that earlier book reviewed by Brad Miner here) casts new light on the Virgin Mary, illuminating her role in the Old and New Testaments. Dr. Pitre takes readers step-by-step from the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation to reveal how deeply biblical Catholic beliefs about Mary really are.

10/10/18

Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today’s Tough Moral Issues by Leila Miller with Trent Horn (Catholic Answers). Once, Christian parents didn’t have to worry about how to explain transgenderism or how to help a teenager defend traditional marriage. Today, as our culture’s moral center continues to fly apart and with every form of deviance publicly aired and celebrated, we have no choice but to equip our kids to understand and to own the truth about such issues.

The Crucifix on Mecca’s Front Porch: A Christian Companion for the Study of Islam by David Pinault (Ignatius). The author focuses on Muslim interactions with the Christian tradition, examining (and taking issue with) the misguided approach of Christians and Muslims who, in the interests of rapprochement, minimize theological differences between the two faiths, especially in the area of Christology and, therefore, do a disservice to both religions.

Rethinking Mary in the New Testament by Edward Sri (Ignatius/Augustine Institute). Catholics and non-Catholics alike may be tempted to assume they already know everything there is to know about Mary. Whatever your degree of knowledge and personal devotion to the Mother of God, this book will help you see Mary with new eyes and greater appreciation.

9/28/18

The Sacraments: Discovering the Treasures of Divine Life by Fr. Matthew Kauth (TAN). The sacraments are the very lifeblood of our soul, yet in the midst of our busy lives, we can fail to understand their power and importance. Without them, we are spiritually dead. With them, the very life of God runs through us.

Know Thyself: 100 Guided Meditations on Humility of Heart by Rev. Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo, edited by Ryan Grant (TAN). The work of Cardinal Bergamo, from his classic Humility of Heart, is supplemented with writings from the saints and scripture passages. Humility is the key to all the virtues, the necessary foundation for growth in all the others.

9/15/18

Run That By Me Again: Selected Essays from “Absolutes” to the “Things that Can Be Otherwise” by James V. Schall, S.J. (TAN). TCT‘s beloved contributor one of our foremost thinkers and cultural commenters. A distinguished professor, the author of more than thirty books, and writer of countless essays, Fr. Schall has made a life of pondering the most important questions of this world and beyond.

Apostles of the Culture of Life by Donald T. DeMarco (TAN). Dr. DeMarco presents short profiles of individuals from various fields who worked heroically in defense of life.  While some are Jewish and others Protestant, the majority are Catholic.

Discernment Do’s and Don’ts: A Practical Guide to Vocational Discernment by Fr. George Elliott (TAN). From a college chaplain, tech apostle, and parish priest comes a guide to discerning any vocation, married or celibate, teens or young adults, that combines the teachings of Scripture, Church documents, Church Fathers, and saints.

Everyday Evangelism for Catholics: A Practical Guide to Spreading the Faith in a Contemporary World by Cathy Duffy (TAN). From an RCIA director and expert in homeschooling. Evangelism isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, so the author helps sort out what is likely to work best in different situations. She advocates a relational approach rather than the ability to win apologetic arguments.

Cloud of Wintesses: A Child’s First Book of Saints edited by Katie Warner and illustrated by Meg Whalen (TAN). A pre-school child’s introduction to friendship with the saints in heaven. Lessons from well-known saints with short, memorable quotes and beautiful illustrations of the saint who spoke or wrote it.

9/11/18

Real Suffering: Finding Hope in the Trials of Life by Dr. Bob Schuchts (Saint Benedict Press). Suffering affects everyone. For many, it can be a stumbling block to faith in God and a catalyst to unhappiness. But it doesn’t have to be so. In fact, it can be the catalyst to something greater: union with Christ. Dr. Schuchts is founder and president of the John Paul II Healing Center in Tallahassee, Florida.

The Gift of the Church (Volume 1): How the Catholic Church Transformed the History and Soul of the West by Ryan S. Topping (TAN). An exploration and celebration, in word and image, of how our way of life, that is, the Western way of life, has been transformed, and continues to be shaped, by the Church s faith. For each generation, the life and teachings of Christ has provided an answer to its deepest and most probing questions.

8/30/18

Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child from Public School Before It’s Too Late by Mary Rice Hasson and Theresa Farnan (Regnery Gateway). Almost overnight, America’s public schools have become morally toxic. And they are especially poisonous for children from religious families of every faith—ordinary families who value traditional morality and plain old common sense. Parents’ first duty is to their children—to their intellect, their character, their souls.

8/27/18

Calm in Chaos: Catholic Wisdom for Anxious Times by George William Rutler (Ignatius). The renowned writer and churchman Fr. George Rutler addresses our current causes of anxiety and our never-changing and ever-new reasons for hope. His writings on the issues of our day are neither pessimistic nor optimistic because they are infused with the confidence that God will grant us the peace that no earthly circumstance can take it away.

The Abolition of Woman: How Radical Feminism Is Betraying Women by Fiorella Nash (Ignatius). The author, a pro-life feminist, unashamedly calls mainstream feminists, journalists, and Western politicians to account for their silence and – in some cases – vocal justification of the persecution of women because of their absolutist loyalty to abortion.

Doors in the Walls of the World: Signs of Transcendence in the Human Story by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius). The “walls” of the material world, which we perceive with our senses and analyze with our intellects, have doors that open into the “More” beyond them. Prof. Kreeft explains that this More includes “The Absolute Good, Platonic Forms, God, gods, angels, spirits, ghosts, souls, Brahman . . . Nirvana, Tao, ‘the will of Heaven’, The Meaning of It All . . .”

8/23/18 The Sexual State: How Elite Ideologies Are Destroying Lives and Why the Church was Right All Along by Jennifer Roback Morse (TAN). The Sexual Revolution and the breakdown of the family have brought misery to millions. In Dr. Morse shows that it wasn’t all a force of nature, but deliberately created by elites, harnessing the power of the State and inflicting three false and calamitous ideologies: contraception, divorce, and gender.

8/8/18

 Mr. Mehan’s Mildly Amusing Mythical Mammals by Matthew Mehan and illustrated by John Folley (TAN). A journey through an alphabet of mythical mammals unites the bright and bumbling Blug and the dear but downhearted Dally, who come to learn a thing or two about good, evil, courage, humor, sadness, hope . . . and how to govern their spirits and truly love their fellow mammals.

8/2/18

Building the Benedict Option: A Guide to Gathering Two or Three Together in His Name by Leah Libresco with a foreword by Rod Dreher (Ignatius). A combination spiritual memoir and practical handbook for Christians who want to build communities of prayer, socialization, and evangelization in the places where they live and work.

7/23/18

A Bloody Habit by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson (Ignatius). A novel set in 1900 with vampires and Dominican vampire killers.

7/16/18

Why Humanae Vitae Is Still Right edited by Janet E. Smith (Ignatius). A sequel to Smith’s classic Why Humanae Vitae Was Right, this new volume shows how the case—ethical, theological, spiritual, and sociological—for Paul VI’s controversial document remains strong. Indeed, it’s in some ways even stronger today, thanks to Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and in light of the problems caused by the sexual revolution. So, after half a century, how has the teaching of Pope Paul VI on marriage and birth control held up? Very well, says philosopher Smith and her contributors, who include TCT‘s Mary Eberstadt, plus (among others) Therese Scarpelli Corey, Michael Waldstein, Christopher West, and Obianuju Ekeocha. A book well-timed for the October Synod.

7/9/18

Faith and Politics: Selected Writings by Joseph Ratziner (Pope Benedict XVI) with a foreword by Pope Francis (Ignatius). The Pope Emeritus has explored various aspects of this subject in books, speeches, homilies, and dialogues throughout his career, from his years as a theology professor to his tenure as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and most recently as Pope. The reader will find some of these texts collected in this volume.

The Evangelizing Parish by Francis Cardinal Arinze (Ignatius). Written by a highly respected cardinal and a former head of the Vatican office for worship and sacraments, this book shows how the local Catholic parish in any town has tremendous potential to evangelize its surrounding community. Francis Cardinal Arinze reveals the important roles of both priests and laity in spreading the Gospel within the parish and beyond.

Would you Baptize an Extraterrestrial? . . . and Other Questions from the Astronomers’ In-box at the Vatican Observatory by Guy Consolmagno, S.J. and Paul Mueller, S.J. (Image). With disarming humor, Brother Guy and Father Paul explore these questions and more over the course of six days of dialogue. Now in paperback.

7/5/18

Fill These Hearts: God, Sex, and the Universal Longing by Christopher West (Image). Peter Kreeft says the book is “Revolutionary, liberating, life-changing.” Now in paperback.

6/26/18

Finding Hope on Vegas by Michelle Davis (BookBound Media). In the blink of an eye, a fifteen-hundred-pound bull named Vegas stomped seventeen-year-old Nathan Davis nearly to death.  The true story of the relentless dedication and determination of a self-reliant family that suddenly found themselves completely dependent on Divine Providence and intervention.

6/21/18

The Ear of the Heart: An Actress’ Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows by Mother Dolores Hart O.S.B. and Richard DeNeut (Ignatius). The 2013 bestseller now in paperback.

Reclaiming the Republic: How Christians and Other Conservatives Can Win Back America by Robert G. Marshall (TAN). While the election of Donald Trump as president may have slowed down the project of those who would continue to move America away from the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God, the struggle is not over, and the next few elections may well prove decisive. This book shows Christians and all people of good will and traditional values how to use the levers of civil power to defeat anti-Christian and anti-Natural Law policies at all levels of government.

6/6/18

Dorothy Day: An Introduction to Her Life and Thought by Terrence C. Wright (Ignatius). Wright presents Day’s radical response to God’s mercy. After a period of darkness and sin, which included an abortion and a suicide attempt, Day had a profound awakening to God’s unlimited love and mercy through the birth of her daughter. Drawing heavily upon Day’s own writings, Wright discusses her love for Scripture, the sacraments, and the magisterium. He explores her philosophy and spirituality and shows how her understanding of the Mystical Body of Christ led to controversial positions such as pacifism.

6/1/18

On the Ignatian Way: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Saint Ignatius Loyola by José Luis Iriberri, S.J. and Chris Lowney (Ignatius). The Ignatian Way is connected with the thousand-year-old tradition of making pilgrimages. In 1521 Ignatius of Loyola decided to change his life, and to do that he became a pilgrim, setting out for Jerusalem. This book was written as a guide to offer Ignatian’ experience to modern pilgrims, with accounts by various modern pilgrims and guidance, following the lead of the Spiritual Exercises of the great saint himself.

5/22/18

Further Up & Further In: Understanding Narnia by Joseph Pearce (TAN). Catholic author Joseph Pearce invites readers to return with the eyes of an adult to C.S. Lewis’ magical land entered through that most important wardrobe in literary history. the Narnia books contain profound insights concerning the human condition. Pearce, however, goes beyond even that and illuminates the deeper riches and profound truths found therein: the highest truths, in fact, those concerning God.

5/1/18

One Beautiful Dream: The Rollicking Tale of Family Chaos, Personal Passions, and Saying Yes to them Both by Jennifer Fulwiler (Ignatius). The Sirius XM radio host challenges the idea that a woman can’t balance work and family, individuality and motherhood, the creative life and family life. One Beautiful Dream is a deeply personal, often humorous tale of what happened when Fulwiler dared to believe that you can have it allif you’re willing to reimagine what having it all looks like.

4/27/18

Wrestling with God: Finding Hope and Meaning in Our Daily Struggle to Be Human  by Ronald Rolheiser (Image). Father Rolheiser, O.M.I. writes from his own life experience, as well as from others’ literary, psychological, and theological insights in order to examine the fears and doubts that challenge us. It is in these struggles to find meaning, that Rolheiser lays out a path for faith in a world struggling to find faith, but perhaps more important, helps us find our own rhythm within which to walk that path.

4/21/18

An Immovable Feast: How I Gave up Spirituality for a Life of Religious Abundance by Tyler Blanski (Ignatius). An account of a modern spiritual journey that begins with a fundamentalist Baptist childhood, moves on to adolescence in emergent church spirituality, continues through hipster years as a house painter and musician, who marries and enters an Anglican seminary in Wisconsin. After years of preparing to be an Anglican priest, he boldly joins the Catholic Church.

4/15/18

On Islam: A Chronological Record, 2002-2018 by James V. Schall, S.J. (Ignatius). The indefatigable Father Schall’s main concern is the abiding existence of Islam: its constant prodding to achieve the submission of all to Allah as a political and cultural fact. This book is a record of Schall’’s own reaction to and understanding of incidents in which Allah was claimed as the reason for sundry shootings, bombings, and killings.

3/31/18

The Fragility of Order: Catholic Reflections on Turbulent Times by George Weigel (Ignatius). One of America’s most prominent public intellectuals applies thirty-five years of experience in Washington and Rome to the turbulence that characterizes world politics, American public life, and the Catholic Church in the early twenty-first century. Through a distinctive cultural and moral lens, Weigel writes of such events as the First World War, the collapse of Communism, and the Obama and Trump presidencies,  and offers new insights into the challenging pontificate of Pope Francis.

3/21/18

Two Wings: Integrating Faith & Reason by Brian Clayton and Douglas Kries (Ignatius). Two college teachers explain how believing and reasoning are two human activities that may be integrated to form a complete Christian view of existence. Two Wings takes its title from the opening of John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et Ratio, which speaks of how the human spirit rises on these two wings to ascend to truth.

Wrestling with God: Finding Hope and Meaning in Our Daily Struggles to be Human by Ronald Rolheiser (Image). Drawing from his own life experience, as well as a storehouse of literary, psychological, and theological insights, the author of Sacred Fire  and The Holy Longing examines the fears and doubts that challenge us.

3/16/18

Marian Consecration for Children: Bringing Mary to Life in Young Hearts and Minds by Carrie Gress (TAN). Professor Gress offers reflections on the work of St. Louis de Montfort, weaving in tales of saints, kings, queens, knights, and princesses in order to to teach children about virtue, courage, and their spiritual mother who loves them. In addition, she draws valuable spiritual lessons from contemporary stories such as The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Winnie the Pooh, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and many other fables and fairy tales that have brought children’s imaginations to life for decades.

3/2/18

Target Africa: Ideological Neocolonialism in the Twenty-First Century by Obianuju Ekeocha (Ignatius). Nigerian activist Ekeochs (Uju to her friends) argues that European and North American liberals, convinced of their good intentions, are ideological neo-colonial masters, aggressively pushing on Africa their views about contraception, population control, feminism, homosexuality, the sexualization of children, and abortion. Thus are many African nations put back into positions of dependency as new cultural standards conceived in the West become core policies in Africa.

3/1/18

Our Father: Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer by Pope Francis (Image). A very brief meditation by the pope illuminates the most important prayer in all of Christianity, verse by verse, in conversation with Father Marco Pozza, a theologian and a prison chaplain in Padua, Italy. Reviewed here by Brad Miner. Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

2/26/18

Interpretations: Reading the Present in Light of the Past by Jude P. Dougherty (CUA Press). A collection of essays by the distinguished philosopher (and TCT contributor) written to inform or to provide commentary on contemporary issues. In probing the past to interpret the present, they draw upon a perspective that one may call classical: the perspective of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and their followers across the ages, notably Thomas Aquinas, and his modern disciples, such as Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain.

I Will Think of Everything. You, Think Only of Loving Me by a Sister of Children of Mary (CreateSpace). A book that promises to teach very practical ways to increase your love for God, find peace of soul, and use your time here on earth in the best possible manner. As you grow in love for God, you will be protecting yourself from Satan. Part I is the ceaseless act of love as experienced by a Sister of Children of Mary; Part II is a reprint of a booklet by Fr. Lorenzo Sales, IMC about the messages to Venerable Sr. Consolata Betrone.

2/20/18

The Universe We Think In by James V. Schall, S.J. (CUA Press). This latest book from TCT‘s most-beloved contributor arises from a tradition of realism, both philosophical and political, describing a universe in which the common sense understanding of things is included in our judgement about them. The scope is both vast and narrow – vast because it is aware of the reality of things, narrow because it is the individual person who can and wants to know them.

2/12/18

Lost Shepherd: How Pope Francis is Misleading His Flock by Philip F. Lawler (Regnery Gateway). Faithful Catholics are beginning to realize it’s not their imagination: Pope Francis has led them on a journey from joy to unease to alarm and even to a sense of betrayal. They can no longer pretend that he represents merely a change of emphasis in papal teaching. Assessing the confusion sown by this pontificate, Lost Shepherd explains what’s at stake, what’s not at stake, and how loyal believers should respond.

Life Everlasting: Catholic Devotions and Mysteries for the Everyday Seeker by Gary Jansen (Image). The director of Image publishing “offers smart and practical advice on how to cultivate a rich spiritual life.” – James Martin, S.J.

2/9/18

The Fourth Cup: Unveiling the Mystery of the Last Supper and the Cross by Scott Hahn (Image). Dr. Hahn explains Christ’s Paschal sacrifice on the cross as the fulfillment of the traditional fourth cup used in the celebration of Passover, drawing symbolic parallels to the Last Supper and Christ’s death on Calvary.

2/8/18

The Light Entrusted to You: Keeping the Flame of Faith Alive by John R. Wood (Ignatius). Dr. Wood uses popular movies, songs, stories, sports, and life experiences to teach the faith. He shares the CD’s, DVD’s, books, and media that have helped him learn and love the Catholic faith and to pass it on to any age group. The book revolves around the words of the sacrament of Baptism, reminding Catholic parents that they have been entrusted with the duty of being the primary educators of the faith.

1/27/18

Ten Battles Every Catholic Should Know by Michael D. Greaney (TAN). Civilization needs to be defended. Mr. Greaney presents detailed accounts of pivotal engagements in the centuries-long defense of Christendom against militant Islam. The accounts of battles are amplified and expanded with historical footnotes and introductions. Though less well known than the struggle to retake Spain and Southern France, the battlefields of Armenia and Eastern and Central Europe were just as crucial in the preservation of Christendom.

1/25/18

Made for Love: Same-Sex Attractions and the Catholic Church by Fr. Michael Schmitz (Ignatius). Intended for homosexual people and their loved ones, Made for Love discusses different worldviews of the human person, the philosophical ideas of nature and purpose, the differences between objective and subjective truth, the principle of non-contradiction, and the fallen human nature that resulted from Original Sin.

Manual for Men by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted (TAN Books). The ordinary of Phoneix offers a guide for men who are in the arena, warriors for Christ and His Church. It is for those men who battle daily for their souls and for their families. It is often a struggle to shed the sins and vices the world offers men, but it’s a battle we must fight and win.

1/22/18

Slaying the “Spirit” of Vatican II with the Light of Truth edited by Rev. Robert J. Araujo, S.J. (The Bellarmine Forum). Despite the orthodox, plainly written documents that came out of the Council, churches were stripped of their beauty, teachings were twisted, and sacred hymns were replaced with hand-clapping folk music – all in the name of a “spirit” that bears no resemblance to that sacred gathering or tradition. Several dozen essays explain what went wrong.

1/16/18

Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Disciple of Christ by Edward Sri (Ignatius/Augustine Institute). A short but in-depth exploration of what it means to be a disciple, including the four habits of a disciple”: prayer, the breaking of bread (the Sacraments), fellowship, and the teaching of the Apostles.

12/23/17

Kingdom of Happiness: Living the Beatitudes in Everyday Life by Fr. Jeffrey Kirby (Saint Benedict Press). Fr. Kirby offers hope to the tired, overburdened, and unhappy, reminding us that we are made for happiness, AND showing us the path to achieving it. It’s not a new path. It’s the one Jesus showed us in the Beatitudes

12/3/17

Heroism and Genius: How Catholic Priests Helped Build — and Can Help Rebuild — Western Civilization by William J. Slattery (Ignatius). From the genius of Christianity and the cultures of the Jews, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Germanic peoples, the Catholic Church built a new and original civilization, embodying within its structures the Christian vision of God and man, time and eternity.

11/20/17

A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail by Charles A. Coulombe (TAN Books). The author examines the fabled vessel’s literary and historical connections but offers far more than a stuffy history of a dusty old cup. Rather, he shows how the Holy Grail is the key to an entire genre of glorious relics and miraculous phenomena that extend from the time of Christ to the present day.

Going Deeper: A Reasoned Exploration of God and Truth by Leo Severino (Ignatius). The author maps out a train of thought that begins with everyday events, reasons its way through proofs of the existence of God, then goes on to describe the deep purpose inscribed in every human heart. Going Deeper promises fresh perspectives on the classic arguments that demonstrate how faith and reason go hand in hand.

11/19/17

Modern Age: A Conservative Review (Intercollegiate Studies Institute). The latest issue of the journal founded by Russell Kirk in 1957 presents “Christianity & Politics: From the Reformation to the Benedict Option” and includes essays and reviews by R.R. Reno, Timothy George, Lee Edwards, and M.D. Aeschliman among other notables.

11/6/17

The Case for Catholicism: Answers to Classic and Contemporary Protestant Objections by Trent Horn (Ignatius). Answers arguments put forward by early Reformers like Luther and Calvin as well as contemporary defenders of Protestantism. It provides a meticulous defense of the biblical and historical nature of Catholic doctrines from Scripture and Church history, even citing modern Protestant scholars who question Reformation assumptions and show how evidence from Scripture and Church history support aspects of Catholic theology.

11/2/17

Manual for Conquering Deadly Sin by Fr. Dennis Koliński, SJC (TAN Books). It is of vital importance that each individual soul recovers the lost sense of sin and begins the struggle to conquer the ones that threaten salvation. Part I: Defines sin and distinguishes between mortal and venial sins. Part II: Compiles passages from Church teaching and Scripture, along with quotes from the saints.

10/30/17

Humility Rules: Saint Benedict’s 12-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. (Ignatius). A Benedictine monk and high school teacher/coach’s guide to inner peace by not taking oneself too seriously as understood through the Rule of the founder of Western monasticism. (With color reproductions of sacred art embellished with comic flourishes: the great saint with a skateboard; medieval monks shooting hoops . . .)

In Defense of Purity (foreword by Alice von Hildebrand) and Liturgy & Personality (foreword by Bishop Robert Barron) both by Dietrich von Hildebrand (1889-1977). Two reissues of seminal Hildebrand books from the Hildebrand Project at Franciscan University of Steubenville. The first is not a book of sexual ethics or a “how-to” guide to purity but a meditation on the nature, value, and beauty of purity. The second describes how Catholic liturgy the derivative effect of forming a healthy personality.

10/22/17

Reformation Myths: Five Centuries of Misconceptions and (Some) Misfortunes by Rodney Stark (SPCK Publishing). An entertaining and enlightening expose of over-inflated claims about the Reformation and what it has done for us, written by an historian of international standing. Containing scathing indictments of popular historical distortions and misrepresentations of the birth and legacy of Protestantism in the West, the book is a welcome antidote to all the triumphalist books on the Reformation flooding the market this year. Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

Conversion: Spiritual Insights into an Essential Encounter with God by Fr. Donald Haggerty (Ignatius). Arranged as a collection of concise, meditative reflections, this book discusses the essential elements of a soul’s return to God, including the repercussions of sin, the proper understanding of mercy, and the importance of a more radical response to God’s will.

10/13/17

You Are the Beloved: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living by Henri J.M. Nouwen (Convergent). The late, troubled Fr. Nouwen believed the central moment in Christ’s public ministry was His baptism: “You are my beloved son on whom my favor rests.” Nouwen wrote: “He is reminded in a deep, deep way of who he is. . . . I think his whole life is continually claiming that identity in the midst of everything.” Featuring the “best” of Nouwen’s writing from previously published works

10/10/17

Galileo Revisited: The Galileo Affair in Context by Dom Paschal Scotti (Ignatius). This account of the “Affair” presents a description of the historical context in its political, cultural, philosophical, religious, scientific and personal aspects, with a discussion of the relationship between religion and science in general and of the relationship between Christianity and science in particular. The author is a monk at Portsmouth Abbey in Rhode Island.

10/9/17

Pope Francis and the Caring Society, Robert M. Whaples, ed. with a foreword by Michael Novak (Independent Institute). An integrated perspective on Francis and the issues he has raised, examining the intersection of religion, politics, and economics, with essays by Samuel Gregg, Allan C. Carlson, and others.

10/5/17

Faith in Luther: Martin Luther and the Origin of Anthropocentric Religion by Paul Hacker (Emmaus Academic). Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI remembers Paul Hacker as “a great master, someone with an unbelievably broad education, someone who knew the Fathers, knew Luther, and had mastered the whole history of Indian religion from scratch. What he wrote always had something new about it, he always went right to the bottom of things.” The new edition is reviewed here by Russell Shaw.

10/2/17

The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism by Thomas Joseph White, O.P. (Catholic University of America Press). Fr. White’s accessible presentation of Catholicism is grounded in traditional theology, but engaged with a host of contemporary questions and objections. Inspired by the theologies of Irenaeus, Thomas Aquinas, and John Henry Newman, The Light of Christ presents major doctrines of the Christian religion in a way that is comprehensible for non-specialists. Reviewed here by Robert Royal.

9/23/17

Heroes & Heretics of the Reformation by Phillip Campbell (TAN). Not since the birth of Christ has an event shaken the foundations of the Western world as did the Reformation. Now, 500 years after Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door at Wittenberg—the sound of which served as the thunder presaging the storm to come—Mr. Campbell casts fresh eyes on that tumultuous time and its most influential characters.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Communism: The Killingest Idea Ever by Paul Kengor (Regnery). A brand-new installment of the Politically Incorrect Guide series P.I.G. to Communism is a critique of freedom’s greatest ideological adversary, past, and present. Prof. Kengor is the author of A Pope and a President (see below). He teaches political science at Grove City College.

9/18/17

Kidnapped by the Vatican? The Unpublished Memoirs of Edgardo Mortara (Ignatius). Presented with commentary by journalist Vittorio Messori, this is a possibly timely look at the strange case of a Jewish boy baptized by a Catholic maid and then forcibly removed from his parents to be raised and educated as a Catholic — and who became a priest. Steven Spielberg has wanted to make a movie about the case, although that remains in limbo. As the subtitle indicates, much of the book is Father Mortara’s own diary.

9/6/17

Five Proofs of the Existence of God by Edward Feser (Ignatius). Professor Feser provides as ambitious and complete a defense of traditional natural theology as is currently in print. The aim of Five Proofs is to vindicate the views of the greatest philosophers of the past— principally Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine, Aquinas, and Leibniz — that the existence of God can be established with certainty by way of purely rational arguments. A refutation, therefore, of atheism and of the fideism that gives aid and comfort to atheism.

9/2/17

Grace & Justification: An Evangelical’s Guide to Catholic Beliefs by Stephen Wood (Family Life Center Publications). A former Protestant who crossed the Tiber, Mr. Wood presents a unique perspective on several contentious doctrines relating to justification (works, merit, infusion) by viewing them through the lens of our adoption by God the Father. He also encourages a simple, yet profound, way to grasp the priority of grace taught throughout the Catechism of the Catholic Church that many unfortunately miss.

8/30/17

What Did Jesus Do? The Biblical Roots of the Catholic Church by Thomas J. Nash (Incarnate Word Media). Mr. Nash seeks to present anew the real Jesus, the Word who became flesh (Jn. 1:14) to save all of humanity and to employ his Mystical Bride, the Catholic Church, as the instrument of salvation and life-transforming love (Mt. 16:18-19; Jn. 10:10). If the Church were merely a human institution, she would’ve entered the dustbin of history centuries ago.

8/25/17

The Reformation 500 Years Later: 12 Things You Need to Know by Benjamin Wiker (Regnery). For Catholics, it was an unjustified rebellion by the heterodox. For Protestants, it was the release of true and purified Christianity from centuries-old enslavement to corruption, idolatry, and error. An account of the world-changing event that rejects the common distortions of Catholic, Protestant, Marxist, Freudian, or secularist retellings.

From Islam to Christ: One Woman’s Path through the Riddles of God by Derya Little (Ignatius). Born and raised in Muslim Turkey, Mrs. Little [for obvious reasons, a pseudonym] wandered far and wide in search of her true home. After her parents’ divorce, she rejected her family’s Islamic faith and became an atheist. During her stormy adolescence, she tried to convince a Christian missionary that there is no God but was converted to Christ instead. Now she’s a Catholic.

8/22/17

The New Politics of Sex: The Sexual Revolution, Civil Liberties, & the Growth of Government Power by Stephen Baskerville (Angelico Press). The title comes from Newsweek and references controversial issues such as legalized same-sex marriage, liberalized abortion, and the admittance of women into combat. But Prof. Baskerville believes all that is just the tip of a very large iceberg, the full dimensions (and danger) of which we’re just beginning to see.

8/19/17

The Satisfied Crocodile: Essays on G.K. Chesterton by James V. Schall (ACS Books). The indefatigable and prolific TCT contributor presents a colorful, provocative, and always lively journey across the vast landscape of that is GKC. One great thinker taking on another, shedding light on light. As he writes in the Introduction: “When we read Chesterton we find ourselves in many worlds, and, yet, on rereading him carefully, we find that the world he is in is the world of what is.”

8/5/17:

The Immortal in You: How Human Nature Is More than Science Can Say by Michael Augros (Ignatius). From the author of Who Designed the Designer?, this modern response to the ancient exhortation “Know thyself” delivers a wealth of fresh, powerful, and uplifting ideas about what it is to be human. You are not a machine, and you have an eternal destiny, and there is more to you than science can ever say.

7/12/17:

Fake Science: Exposing the Left’s skewed statistics, fuzzy facts, and dodgy data by Austin Ruse (Regnery). The former TCT contributor says the truth is out there, although often not in the politicized science peddled by liberals. One after the another, Ruse debunks the so-called “facts” used to advance political causes, revealing how poorly they stand up to actual science.

6/24/17:

By Man Shall His Blood Be Shed: A Catholic Defense of Capital Punishment by Edward Feser and Joseph M. Bessette (Ignatius). Against the trend suggesting the Church must oppose the death penalty. In fact, the Church’s traditional teaching safeguards society, because the just use of capital punishment protects the lives of the innocent, inculcates a horror of murder, and affirms the dignity of human beings as free, rational, and responsible creatures.

6/9/17:

1o1 Places to Pray Before You Die: A Roamin’ Catholic’s Guide by Thomas J. Craughwell (Franciscan Media). Five million visitors crowd into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York each year. Hundreds of thousands annually pay homage to the Blessed Virgin at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. But Catholic travelers don’t always realize that every state in the Union contains unique shrines, retreat houses, missions and other significant holy places.

Why I Don’t Call Myself Gay: How I Reclaimed My Sexual Reality and Found Peace by Daniel C. Mattson with a foreword by Robert Cardinal Sarah (Ignatius). The author grew up believing he was gay, his life marked by constant turmoil. Finding the conflict between his sexual desires and the teachings of his church too great, he turned his back on God. Yet freedom and happiness remained elusive until he discovered Christ and his true identity.

6/1/17:

Surprised by Beauty: A Listener’s Guide to the Recovery of Modern Music by Robert R. Reilly (Ignatius Press). Atonality and cacophony have characterized the work of some modern composers. Some but not all. It is the spirit of music that this book is most about, and in his efforts to discern it, Bob Reilly has discovered many treasures. The purpose of this book is to share them, to entice you to listen because beauty is contagious. Beauty and humanity are out there, waiting to surprise.

5/27/17:

YOUCAT Bible with a preface by Pope Francis (Ignatius Press). From the team of German-language scholars who gave us  YOUCAT (read: “youth catechism”) and DOCAT (on social teaching). It’s “filled with engaging photos, clever and fun illustrations by YOUCAT’s award-winning designer, insightful sidebar quotes from great thinkers, Catholic saints and leaders, past and present, and young people living their faith today.”

5/16/17:

Fatima: The Apparition That Changed the World by Jean M. Heimann (Saint Benedict Press). Few place-names in the Christian world conjure up such powerful images and associations as that of this humble town in Portugal, where Our Lady appeared to three children 100 years ago. This beautifully illustrated volume will be treasured by long-time devotees of our Blessed Mother.

The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis by Carrie Gress (TAN Books). As the world descends into chaos, Christians are thinking deeply about how to stem the tide. Many options and suggestions have been presented to deal with Christian persecution and cultural decadence, but none can hold a candle to The Marian Option. Mary’s intercessions make clear that Christ’s mother is indeed the most powerful woman in the world. She offers the answer to saving the world and bringing God’s people back into her Son’s heart.

5/15/17:

Slaves in Paradise: A Priest Stands up for Exploited Sugarcane Workers by Jesús García (Ignatius Press). Fr. Christopher Hartley arrived in the Dominican Republic in 1997, he discovered another side to this paradise: the deplorable living and working conditions of the people who harvest the country’s sugarcane, and the illegal human trafficking that brings them to the plantations as slaves. Because of his strong criticism, Fr. Hartley endured harsh treatment, was threatened with death, and eventually had to leave the country.

5/9/17:

Catholicism and Intelligence (Living Faith Series) by James V. Schall, S.J. (Emmaus Press). TCT’s Father Schall presents a collection of essays that challenge us to see God in what-is, in the reality of our world. Engaging some of the finest minds of the past – Chesterton, Plato, Augustine, and even Charlie Brown – Schall speaks to the present with incisive clarity, illustrating how revelation informs and strengthens the natural light of reason, enabling humanity to see reality most clearly.

4/29/17:

The Light Shines on in Darkness: Transforming Suffering through Faith by Robert Spitzer, S.J, Ph.D. (Ignatius). Questions and answers from the former president of Gonzaga University, including: Why would an all-loving God allow suffering? Aren’t suffering and love opposed to one another? Does suffering have any benefit for this life?

A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century by Paul Kengor (ISI Books). Even as historians credit ­Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II with hastening the end of the Cold War, they have failed to recognize the depth or significance of the bond that developed between the two leaders, which included a spiritual connection between the Catholic pope and the Protestant president— and drove the two men to confront what they knew to be a great evil: Soviet communism.

4/17/17

Angels, Barbarians, and Nincompoops . . . and a lot of other words you thought you knew by Anthony Esolen (TAN Books). From the indefatigable TCT contributor comes a book in content recognizable to his Facebook friends, wherein he mines words, finding their precious depths.

The Cardinal Müller Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church, with Carlos Granados (Ignatius Press). The head of CDF responds to four key questions: What can we hope for from Christ? What can we hope for from the Church? What can we hope for from the family? And what can we hope for from society?

Catholics and Protestants: What Can We Learn from Each Other? by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius). Kreeft seeks to find the common ground between the two major Christian groups. The author characterizes his book as like a sheepdog, “herding and hectoring God’s separated sheep back to His face.”

The Dawn of Christianity: How God Used Simple Fishermen, Soldiers, and Prostitutes to Transform the World by Robert J. Hutchinson (Thomas Nelson). Using the most recent studies by top Christian and secular scholars, Mr. Hutchinson reconstructs all the known accounts of Christ’s resurrection appearances and follows the witnesses as they experience brutal persecution to become committed evangelists. “A riveting thriller of the most improbable history-changing movement imaginable.”

Don’t Divorce: Powerful Arguments for Saving and Revitalizing Your Marriage by Diane Medved, Ph.D. (Regnery Publishing). Not quite thirty years ago, Dr. Medved published The Case Against Divorce, which got a lot of well-deserved attention. Unfortunately, the number of broken marriages continues at an alarming rate, and Medved returns (with a brilliantly declarative title) to offer commonsense about making marriage last.

The Face of Water: A Translator on Beauty and Meaning in the Bible by Sarah Ruden (Pantheon Books). A Quaker lady from the Ivy League (Ph.D. from Harvard; visiting professor at Brown) looks at God’s Word without religious awe or orthodoxy, as we might understand it, but with great appreciation for the exquisite language and profound wisdom of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.

God’s Gamble: The Gravitational Power of Crucified Love by Gil Bailie (Angelico Press). Drawing primarily on the insights of René Girard and Hans Urs von Balthasar, Bailie shows that the Cross of Christ has left a crater at the center of history, an inflection of sacrificial love toward which everything before and after this event is ordered and properly understood.

The Heart of Holiness by Fr. Gary Lauenstein (Ignatius), which is subtitled “Friendship with God and Others,” which teaches an important lesson: that “our everyday experience of our friendships with others are our stepping stones to holiness.”

The Lion of Münster: The Bishop Who Roared Against the Nazis by Fr. Daniel Utrecht (TAN) is a biography of Cardinal Clemens August von Galen, the German Catholic leader who dared to speak out against Hitler. Fr. Paul Scalia says von Galen’s story should remind pastors today to “guard. . .against a different kind of tyranny – the dictatorship of relativism.”

Littlest Suffering Souls: Children Whose Short Lives Point Us to Christ by Austin Ruse, with a foreword by Raymond Cardinal Burke (TAN). These stories began life here at The Catholic Thing. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and faith affirming, these are stories of children taken too soon by the Lord; kids who have “led others to varying degrees of belief and practice.”  Now reviewed here by Robert Royal.

Liturgy & Personality by Dietrich von Hildebrand (Hildebrand Project in partnership with the Franciscan University of Steubenville). The book has an introduction by Bishop Robert Barron and an afterword by Alice von Hildebrand. Bishop Barron: “Hildebrand insists. . .that the primary purpose of the liturgy is not to form the personality but to give proper praise to God, the supreme good.”

Mary of Nazareth by Michael Hesemann (Ignatius): “The first archaeological and historical biography of the most fascinating and revered woman in history, the Mother of Christ.” Paul Thigpen says of Hesemann, “His personal devotion to the Virgin shines through his extensive scholarship to create a delightful and enchanting portrait of the Mother of God.”

Monaghan: A Life by Joseph Pearce (TAN). The prolific biographer (Hilaire Belloc, Roy Campbell, G.K. Chesterton, and C.S. Lewis) profiles the founder of Domino’s Pizza, and former owner of the Detroit Tigers, and the founder of Ave Maria University, at the core of whose life “is an unwavering Catholicism that has strengthened him amidst adversity and grounded him amidst prosperity.”

Night’s Bright Darkness: A Modern Conversion Story by Sally Read (Ignatius). Staunchly atheist, Read converted to Catholicism in the space of nine electric months. Feminist and deeply anti-Catholic, she spoke with a Catholic priest. The interview led her on a dramatic spiritual quest that ended up at the Vatican.

Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture by Anthony Esolen (Regnery). What do you do when an entire civilization is crumbling around you? You do everything. The Catholic Thing contributor and Thomas More College professor offers analyses and solutions. Reviewed here by Brad Miner.

Peter: Keys to Following Jesus by Tim Gray (Ignatius/Augustine Institute). Dr. Gray, a Biblical scholar, offers a guide to the tumultuous, inspiring life of the Apostle and first pope – with lessons from Peter’s life: casting into the deep; avoiding discipleship at a distance; repenting to receive mercy; and becoming a bold witness for Christ.

The Porn Myth: Exposing the Reality Behind the Fantasy of Pornography by Matt Fradd (Ignatius). The downside of the Internet is the lack of restraint when it comes to flesh and the devil. Mr. Fradd, an entrepreneur in cyberspace, explodes illusions: that porn isn’t addictive; that porn relieves pressure among rapists; that women don’t struggle with porn.

The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise by Cardinal Robert Sarah with Nicolas Diat (Ignatius). Silence is the indispensable doorway to the divine. Within the walls of the La Grande Chartreuse, a Carthusian monastery in the French Alps, Cardinal Sarah answers the following questions: Can those who do not know silence ever attain truth, beauty, or love? Do not wisdom, artistic vision, and devotion spring from silence, where the voice of God is heard in the depths of the human heart? Fr. Murray comments here.

Racketeer for Life: A Memoir by Joseph M. Scheidler (TAN): The longer subtitle is “fighting the culture of death from the sidewalk to the Supreme Court.” Proclaimed the “godfather of pro-life activism,” Scheidler has been the target of a racketeering lawsuit from pro-abortion NOW.

Real Music: A Guide Through the Timeless Hymns of the Church by Anthony Esolen (TAN). A commentary on Catholic music (with an accompanying CD of 18 hymns) as it should be: good music, real music that combines timeless poetry with doctrinally sound lyrics and beautiful melodies.

Saint Mary Magdalene: Prophetess of Eucharistic Love by Fr. Sean Davidson (Ignatius). A much needed book, since Magdalene has become a lightning rod for New Age and neo-gnostic nonsense. She loved the Lord as much as anyone – perhaps more than anyone while He was on the earth. Her example can help readers “to enter more deeply into adoration of Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.”

Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female by Ashley McGuire (Regnery). The gender revolution isn’t just ridiculous, it’s dangerous: boys will be girls and vice versa. The irony – from a feminist point of view – is that the trend mostly hurts women more than men.

Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (Henry Holt & Company). Robert Royal reviewed this gem here: “Life Comes from the Archbishop

That Nothing May Be Lost: Reflections on Catholic Doctrine and Devotion by Father Paul Scalia (Ignatius). The TCT contributor reveals a scholar’s mind and a pastor’s heart in inspiring reflections on a wide range of Catholic teachings and practices. Rooted in Scripture, the beauty and truth of these insights places the reader on a path to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. Marvelous interview with Fr. Scalia here.

The Unholy Trinity: Blocking the Left’s Assault on Life, Marriage, and Gender by Matt Walsh (Image Books). With the GOP in charge of Congress and the White House (and maybe the Supreme Court) it is time for conservatives to act, because abortion has redefined life, same-sex “marriage” has redefined the family, and new gender “theories” have redefined sexuality. Enough!

Who Am I to Judge? Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love by Edward Sri (Ignatius/Augustine Institute). This isn’t what you may be thinking: not a reaction against the famous statement by Pope Francis, who has said “relativism wounds people” and it is “the spiritual poverty of our time.” Dr. Sri provides answers to the questions people pose about why the Church isn’t in sync with the “modern” world.

Wholly Different: Why I Chose Biblical Values Over Islamic Values by Nonie Darwish (Regnery Faith). Ms. Darwish, a convert to (Evangelical) Christianity from Islam writes that Western countries are ignorant of true Islamic values. She is frustrated with mainstream America’s talk of tolerance and assimilation. The narrative is both personal and political. And hers is a unique perspective.