Inside the Pages Archives

IP#122 Fr. Robert Spitzer – Ten Universal Principles on Inside the Pages

It’s always a joy to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer! With his latest book , “Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues” he has brought solid philosophy that is easy to read and understand. Not just for those who are interested in a prolife discussion, the “Ten Universal Principles” is perfect for anyone who wishes to grow in the use of faith and reason. Fr. Spitzer addresses many questions including: How do we make sense of life? How should we treat others? How should we reasonably be expected to be treated by others? When human life is at stake, are there reasonable principles we can rely on to guide our actions? How should our laws be framed to protect human life? What kind of society should be built?

The Four Levels of Happiness described in the last section is worth it’s weight in gold.

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The Four Levels of Happiness^®

Happiness is the only goal that people pursue for its own sake, which makes it an ideal lens for explaining why people and organizations behave as they do. The Four Levels of Happiness model shows leaders how to elevate the powerful drive for happiness and direct it toward shared goals, strong ethics, and great performance. Click here for a full description of the Four Levels.

You find the book here

You can listen to more Fr. Spitzer as he discusses the “5 Pillars of the Spiritual Life” on the Inside the Pages interview #56

IP#119 Dr. Brennan Pursell – History in His Hands on Inside the Pages

“History in His Hands -A Christian Narrative” …What a phenomonal book! Not since “The Fulfillment of All Desires” have I been this excited about a work. Brennan Pursell has brought the head to the heart and he’s done it with human history…outstanding! More than even a history of mankind, it is a history of LOVE; God is LOVE and our response to Him throughout time is what shapes our past, our present, and provides us a tentative direction for our future…where will our choices lead us? Dr. Brennan Pursell is one of my new heroes. Do not let this one pass you by!

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“A refreshing tour through familiar territory from an unfamiliar perspective. Dr. Pursell allows a convert’s vibrancy of faith to inform his historical analysis without oversimplifying it.” —Fr. John Bartunek, author, The Better Part

Check out the book here

IP#43 Dr. Matthew Bunson – John Paul II’s Book of Saints on Inside the Pages

Matthew and Margaret Bunson did an incredible job of chronicling all those holy men and women who were brought forward by our late great Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. The only thing that even comes close to reading this great book is hearing Dr. Matthew Bunson talk about those tremendous Blesseds and Saints. “John Paul II’s Book of Saints” is truly a treasury of sanctity!

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He was known as the saint-making Pope, and he reinvigorated the world’s devotion to saints. John Paul II, himself a candidate for sainthood, left a treasury of ideals and hope for the future in these “examples of courage and coherence.” He offered us these real lives lived in extraordinary ways as ones to identify with, aspire to, and ask for intercession.

Check it out here

IP#118 Msgr. John Esseff – Building a Kingdom of Love in a special Inside the Pages

From Paray le Monial, France, I had the chance to catch up with Msgr. John Esseff at the First Sacred Heart World Congress. Msgr. Esseff is one of the founders of the Sacred Heart Apostolate, sponsor of this event which brought laity, religious, and priests from around the world. Talks where given by Cardinal Raymond Burke, Bishop Robert Herman, Christendom College President Timothy O’Donnell, and EWTN show host and author Fr. Mitch Pacwa, as well as many others Why did they come to this small French community nestled in Eastern France? Because our Lord choice this place and two very remarkably humble saints to communicate the message of his Sacred Heart. He said to St. Margaret Mary:

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“My divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind … that it can no longer contain within itself the flames of its burning charity and must spread them abroad by your means.” She described that His Heart was on fire and surrounded by a crown of thorns. Our Lord told her that the flames represented His love for humanity, and the thorns represented man’s sinfulness and ingratitude. Jesus informed her that her mission was to establish the devotion to His Most Sacred Heart, and He revealed twelve promises that He would bestow upon all those who practice the devotion.

She had three more visions over the next year and a half in which Jesus instructed her in a devotion that was to become known as the Nine Fridays. Christ also inspired Margaret Mary to establish the Holy Hour and to receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month. In the final revelation, the Lord asked that a feast of reparation be instituted for the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.

Blessed Claude de la Colombiere, a holy and experienced Jesuit, arrived as confessor to the nuns, and in him Margaret Mary recognized the understanding guide that had been promised to her in the visions. He became convinced that her experiences were genuine and adopted the teaching of the Sacred Heart that the visions had communicated to her.

Msgr. Esseff talks about that message, what it means for us today, and how we can live it out.

IP#117 Fr. Scott Hurd – Forgiveness on Inside the Pages

“Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach” is exceptional! Fr. Scott Hurd has penned the book that should be in every Catholic home. To forgive, without exception, is the hallmark of the Christian life and one of the hardest things to do. Every single chapter in “Forgivness” is a gem. Whether it’s is the challenge of “not becoming a doormat”, dealing with our anger over hurts, or reconciling the fact that life isn’t necessarily fair, Fr. Hurd offers timely wisdom from the heart of the Church to the experiences of everyday life in order for us to follow the way of Jesus Christ…and to forgive. I love this book!

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“All of us know that there is more to forgiveness than simply saying “I’m sorry.” In the section entitled, “Hallmarks of Forgiveness,” Father Hurd deftly outlines seven such marks of forgiveness that reflect the teaching and example of Our Lord. In Jesus, we learn how to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Forgiveness is a decision, a process, and a gift.

“Equally challenging today is the question of how to forgive. In Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach we find an entire section on this topic. With priestly wisdom, Father Hurd examines a wide variety of experiences of forgiveness and reconciliation. With examples from Scripture, Church tradition, literature, and his own ministry, he offers a useful ten-step process to aid people ready to make the decision to forgive.”
–Cardinal Donald Wuerl, from the Introduction

You can find “Forgiveness” here

Visit Pauline.org for more information

IP#115 Uta Larkey – Life and Loss in the Shadow of the Holocaust on Inside the Pages

“Life and Loss in the Shadow of the Holocaust: A Jewish Family’s Untold Story” is an eloquent telling of a family scattered over three continents by Nazi persecution. A heroic effort is undertaken by the authors, Rebecca Boehling and Uta Larkey on behalf the children of the generation subjected to the trauma presented in the book, to piece together the collective memory left by the Kaufmann-Steinberg family. Intriguing, as well as disturbing, this is a book that will stay with you for a long time. I came away from the read reminded once again never to take even the most ordinary moments in life for granted.

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You can find the book here

IP#113 Kate Wicker – Weightless on Inside the Pages

Kate Wicker is OUTSTANDING and her book “Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body” does so much more than it’s title offers…it reminds us how our faith can help us bring peace into our hearts!!!! I love it! The blessing of our femininity, a joy in the gift of the daughter of God we have been created to be, the peace that comes with a prayerful relationship with the Father…these are just some of the fruits that come from Kate Wicker’s work in “Weightless”. More than “self-help”, it’s really about letting the saints help, letting your faith help… ultimately, letting God help. Insights, quotes, guidance, reflections, this book is perfect for individual or group study …check it out!

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What a fun and encouraging interview…it was one of those I just didn’t want to end. Take time to listen, then get a copy of the book for yourself and pass other copies to the women in your life.

There’s a wave of body dissatisfaction sweeping across society. While bookstore shelves are well-stocked with tomes on how to overcome body image problems, very few take a faith-based, much less Catholic, approach to self-healing. Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body speaks not only to those who may have faced an eating disorder, but also to anyone who wants to live an abundant life, unencumbered by our culture’s obsession with thinness, physical beauty, youth, or food.

Be sure to visit Kate’s website at katewicker.com

Get a copy of the book here (and get a copy for a friend…they’ll thank you for it!)

IP#112 Melanie Pritchard – The Day I Died on Inside the Pages

What a remarkable witness…Melanie Pritchard! “The Day I Died: Finding Hope in Suffering” is the story of a young mother’s incredible sudden death during childbirth and her miraculous recovery. I remember the days during which the events chronicled took place. Mark Hart had made known to us the harrowing situation Melanie and her child were suffering. Bruce and I, our radio listeners, and people around the globe (thanks to the internet) joined in a communion of prayer and the results were indeed awe-inspiring. What a joy to talk with Melanie almost a year later, and what a delight to be able to share with all of you this blessed book.

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Be sure to visit Melanie’s blog at http://www.melaniepritchard.org/

You can also find Melanie’s book here

IP#111 – Anthony Esolen – 10 Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child on Inside the Pages

No one writes quite like Anthony Esolen. He never, ever, fails to provoke thought and reflection; he verifies what we know in our hearts to be true…we just didn’t know how to express it. In “10 Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child” he holds a magnifying glass up to our hearts and minds and says to us all “Do really you see what we are doing?” Anthony points how we are extinguishing the minds (and souls) of our children in ten easy steps.

Play dates, soccer practice, day care, political correctness, drudgery without facts, television, video games, constant supervision, endless distractions: these and other insidious trends in child rearing and education are now the hallmarks of childhood. As author Anthony Esolen demonstrates in this elegantly written, often wickedly funny book, almost everything we are doing to children now constricts their imaginations, usually to serve the ulterior motives of the constrictors.

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child confronts contemporary trends in parenting and schooling by reclaiming lost traditions. This practical, insightful book is essential reading for any parent who cares about the paltry thing that childhood has become, and who wants to give a child something beyond the dull drone of today’s culture.

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Learn more about this book here

IP#110 Thomas Craughwell – Saints Preserved on Inside the Pages

What is a relic? What are the categories? Why is this an important part of our rich Catholic tradition? But more than the clinic response to these questions, Thomas Craughwell once again points us to the power of grace found in the lives of the saints whose relics we venerate. I love his Tom’s work and talking with him about these extraordinary aspects of our tradition.

“Long before there were cameras and videos to record for posterity, relics had become the visible reminder of great, heroic and holy lives—remembrances of heroes of the faith. Saints Preserved: An Encyclopedia of Relics gives an account of the lives of those heroes and provides renewed inspiration for Christians everywhere who face many of the challenges that were a part of the lives of the saints.” —Cardinal Donald Wuerl, co-author of The Mass and author of The Catholic Way

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Find out more about the book here

The Four Levels of Happiness®

The Four Levels of Happiness^®