Fr. Robert Spitzer is fantastic and his gift to us in this work is tremendous for those seeking to grow deeper in the spiritual life. These five dimensions of the spiritual life: (1) the Holy Eucharist, (2) spontaneous prayer, (3) the Beatitudes, (4) partnership with the Holy Spirit, and (5) the contemplative life itself, generally do not develop simultaneously or even in parallel ways. Some develop very quickly, but do not achieve significant depth; while others develop quite slowly, but seem to be almost unending in the depth of wisdom, trust, hope, virtue, and love they engender. The best way of explaining this is to look at each of the pillars individually.
Part 2 of 3…Sr. Briege McKenna O.S.C. is a tremendous blessing for all of us in the Church! “The Power of the Sacraments” is a beautiful work which helps us all to appreciate the gift of grace that flows through the sacraments. There is such a hunger in the hearts of God’s children today for healing and peace. Sr. Briege, in her beautiful maternal nurturing way, helps us to see that the answer is right in front of us reaching out to us right now…he is Jesus Christ. “Miracles Do Happen” is her beautiful book recounting her miraculous healing and her call to mission to the world. It also expresses her great love and concern for the priesthood. Her insights are tremendous…her love for Christ and her bride, the Church, is a glorious witness and light for today’s world. She is truly one of the most inspiring persons I have ever encountered!
Part 1 of 3...Sr. Briege McKenna O.S.C. is a tremendous blessing for all of us in the Church! "The Power of the Sacraments" is a beautiful work which helps us all to appreciate the gift of grace that flows through the sacraments. There is such a hunger in the hearts of God's children today for healing and peace. Sr. Briege, in her beautiful maternal nurturing way, helps us to see that the answer is right in front of us reaching out to us right now...he is Jesus Christ. "Miracles Do Happen" is her beautiful book recounting her miraculous healing and her call to mission to the world. It also expresses her great love and concern for the priesthood. Her insights are tremendous...her love for Christ and her bride, the Church, is a glorious witness and light for today's world. She is truly one of the most inspiring persons I have ever encountered!
Part 1 of 3…Sr. Briege McKenna O.S.C. is a tremendous blessing for all of us in the Church! “The Power of the Sacraments” is a beautiful work which helps us all to appreciate the gift of grace that flows through the sacraments. There is such a hunger in the hearts of God’s children today for healing and peace. Sr. Briege, in her maternal nurturing way, helps us to see that the answer is right in front of us reaching out to us right now…he is Jesus Christ. “Miracles Do Happen” is her wonderful book recounting her miraculous healing and her call to mission to the world. It also expresses her great love and concern for the priesthood. Her insights are tremendous…her love for Christ and her bride, the Church, is a glorious witness and light for today’s world. She is truly one of the most inspiring persons I have ever encountered!
Debra Herbeck has compiled a compelling selection of reflections from saints and writers who have suffered, who were tempted to depair, and who were tested in everyway, but through grace and faith, they never gave up. Hope, a viture we can’t live without. If you or someone you know is suffering through hard times, “Safely Through the Storm” is for you.
“The Rite: The Making of a Modern Day Exorcist” is a fascinating exploration of the rite of exorcism from journalistic point of view. Following the training of a priest from California, Fr. Gary, in Rome, Matt Baglio chronicles his activities, as well as many aspects of the darker sides of the spiritual world. In a very real way, Matt demystifies exorcism and shows us what it really entails and the true gift it is to the Church. “The Rite” is now being made into a major motion picture starring Anthony Hopkins.
No stranger to Discerning Hearts, Deacon James Keating once again takes us all into the depths of our interiority with “A Deacon’s Retreat”. Yes, written primarily for deacons of the Church, as usual, this work is a wonderful spiritual work that can touch us all. Deacon Keating uses the setting of our great prayer, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, to lead us on a retreat to encounter Christ. We can reflect on this “retreat” every time we participate in the Eucharist. Deacon Keating truly is one of best contemporary spiritual leaders of our present age.
This is the book for anyone who desires to cherish the beautiful gift of “spiritual friendship”. Mary DuTurris Poust exhorts us all to recognize this gift of friendship given to us by God and shows us how to nurture the special bond that helps us, ultimately, to grow in a deeper relationship with Him. “Walking Together: Discovering the Tradition of Spiritual Friendship”, with the help of biblical images and the lives of the saints, helps us with the connections we have made with others, those persons we trust with the matter of our souls.
Miracles: Healing for a Broken World by Fr. Stefan Starzynski is a heartfelt book where miracles abound beccause of the transforming love of God. I really loved my interview with Fr. Starzynski. He spoke of the beautiful movement of the Holy Spirit so active in the of Church today, all the while remaining firmly anchored in the great heart of Christ and His Church and Sacraments.
Fr. George Rutler once again offers a beautiful work that is food for the thinking mind and pondering heart. A collection of stories about people, some famous some not, who’s lives “witness” to the power of the Holy Spirit to mold us into the image of Christ (in some cases, unexpected ways). Fr. Rutler is always fun to read; he uses the English language as his palette of beautiful colors in which he paints a fascinating and compelling picture of “the dead people he knew when they were alive”. Don’t miss this one.
“Demonic Abortion” is the provocative new book by Fr. Thomas Euteneur. It is a companion to his incredibly successful “Exorcism and the Church Militant”. For anyone engaged in the Pro-life struggle, what he reveals really is not a surprise at all. Fr. Euteneur articulates what we have held in our hearts, but in many cases could not describe fully…the heart just knows this evil has a leader and a purpose. But the great news is that the victory is the Lord’s and He has given us all we need to engage in this battle for the hearts, minds, and souls of our brothers and sisters affected by demonic abortion. This IS the spiritual battle of our time, from it all other evil pales in comparison.BE NOT AFRAID! Knowing the enemy is half the battle. The Church Militant is called now to stand…to stand for the unborn and their mothers, to stand with Our Lady, to stand up for the Gospel of Life.
Fr. Robert Spitzer is fantastic and his gift to us in this work is tremendous for those seeking to grow deeper in the spiritual life. These five dimensions of the spiritual life: (1) the Holy Eucharist, (2) spontaneous prayer, (3) the Beatitudes, (4) partnership with the Holy Spirit, and (5) the contemplative life itself, generally do not develop simultaneously or even in parallel ways. Some develop very quickly, but do not achieve significant depth; while others develop quite slowly, but seem to be almost unending in the depth of wisdom, trust, hope, virtue, and love they engender. The best way of explaining this is to look at each of the pillars individually.
