Church History

The Mass: Understanding What We Do and Say
Why do we kneel in church? How are the Scripture readings like the stories that people tell at family reunions? What does incense symbolize? This booklet provides a helpful step-by-step walk through the Mass that’s great for people new to the faith. But even "cradle Catholics" will gain a fresh perspective from this well-written, illustrated booklet. 32 pages. (Item #80072) $2.95

	NEW! Catholic St. Louis: A Pictoral History by William B. Faherty SJ and Mark Scott Abeln The history of the Catholic Church in St. Louis is dominated by strong personalities and architectural grandeur. In Catholic St. Louis, rich text and photography capture the people and places that have defined Catholicism in a historic, and historically Catholic, city. Renowned historian William Barnaby Faherty, S.J., delivers concise historical sketches of the integral people and the landmark houses of worship; and photographer Mark Scott Abeln captures nearly forty different area churches in majestic fashion. 176 pages, hardcover, 8.5x11 (Item #81329) $32.95

	Women in Church History: 21 Stories for 21 Centuries by Joanne Turpin From first-century Rome's Prisca the Evangelist, companion of Paul, to Dorothy Stang, a missionary sister in 21st century Brazil, Joanne Turpin takes us on the lively journeys of 21 women invaluable to the 21 centuries of Catholic Church history. Each woman included in this inspiring volume for her exceptional contribution to the Catholic Church also portrays personal holiness and moral courage. Paperback, 232 pages (Item #88586) $14.95

	We Look for a Kingdom: The Everday Lives of the Early Christians by Carl Sommer Carl Sommer presents a popular study of the faith and life of the early Christians in the first two centuries after Christ. Using documentary evidence and archaeological records, Sommers reconstructs the lives of the early Christians in order to “introduce the treasures of early Christianity to a large number of modern readers”. By studying how the early Christians believed and lived, we can learn many valuable lessons on what to avoid and what to strive for today. The Roman world had many facets that are strikingly similar to elements of modern life. Sommer’s aim is to help the reader learn how to transform modern culture with the power of the Gospel as was first done in the centuries of the early Church. 457 pages, Paperback. (Item #81647) $19.95

	Retrial of Joan of Arc by Regine Pernoud, J. M. Cohen (Translator), Katherine Anne Porter (Foreword by) This book is a rarity among English language books about Joan of Arc: it is the first such English language book, and clearly the best, based firmly on the testimonies given at the retrial of Joan of Arc. Written by the renowned French historian, Regine Pernoud, it uses extensive excerpts from the many people who actually knew Joan, and so it brings to life this great woman and her powerful story in a way that no other format can. The whole tremendous and fascinating historical story is told here by her childhood playmates and relatives, her royal and noble friends, her confessor, her valet, her squires and heralds, and her fellow soldiers. Included also are excerpts from some of her old enemies, but now they can do Joan no harm: indeed their presence here lends even a more powerful authenticity to her story than if we had only heard from her friends and supporters. As we follow Pernoud through her remarkably clear, detailed tracing of this history told by living tongues, netting the testimonies together with her learned, perfectly placed notes, we begin to share with her the experience of those men who were making the investigation of Joan. Pernoud's method is so direct and knowledgeable, so dedicated to the discovery and presentation of the mystical truth, which is inherent in the accumulated, eagerly honest, spoken and recorded testimonies of those who knew Joan of Arc. (Item #89009) $16.95

	Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Of the 20 ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church, the Council of Trent (1545-1563), is universally regarded as the greatest - in the scope of its discussion, in the number of its pronouncements, and in the extent of its influence. Here in one volume is Father Schroeder's wonderful translation of all the canons and decrees of that Council. These infallible pronouncementon his exhaustive and comprehensive research over the past six years, Cohen predicted the Mad Cow Disease outbreak. His dogged determination has set the American dairy industry on its ear. To insure that all citizens of the world learn the truth, Cohen founded and is executive director of Americas shine in their clarity and simplicity, and are a certain statement on many important matters of Faith at a time when the Catholic world is racked by confusion and controversy. Destined to do a great good to enlighten many. A must for every student of the Faith and everyone who loves the Church. No Catholic library, whether home, parish or school, is complete without these teachings. Imprimatur. Paperback 293 pages. (Item #84850) $16.50

	Joseph Ratzinger: Life in the Church and Living Theology: Fundamentals of Ecclesiology by Maximilian Heinrich Heim This is a major work on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, by a highly regarded German theologian, priest and writer. Since his election to the Papacy, Ratzinger's theology, and in particular his ecclesiology (theology of the Church), has been in the limelight of theological and ecumenical discussions. This important work studies in detail Ratzinger's ecclesiology in the light of Vatican II, against the ongoing debate about what Vatican II really meant to say about the life of the Church, its liturgy, its worship, its doctrine, its pastoral mission, and more. Has his theology of the Church changed since Vatican II, or has it continued to develop consistently? Is the Catholic Church one church among many churches? Is she the object of hope or a historical reality? Ratzinger the theologian figures centrally in this investigation, not as the former Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, but as a thinker and as a writer. (Item #84855) $39.95

	Church, Ecumenism and Politics by Pope Benedict XVI This work features the most discussed topics of the life of the Church, treated with unique frankness and depth by the Church’s spiritual and theological leader. In this collection of essays, theologian Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, tackles three major issues in the Church today—the nature of the Church, the pursuit of Christian unity, and the relationship of Christianity to the secular/political power. The first part of the book explores Vatican II's teaching on the Church, what it means to call the Church "the People of God", the role of the Pope, and the Synod of Bishops. In part two, Ratzinger frankly assesses the ecumenical movement—its achievements, problems, and principles for authentic progress toward Christian unity. In the third part of the work, Ratzinger discusses both fundamental questions and particular issues concerning the Church, the state and human fulfillment in the Age to come. What does the Bible say about faith and politics? How should the Church work in pluralistics societies? What are the problems with Liberation Theology? How should we understand freedom in the Church and in society? Beneath a penetrating analysis on these important topics by this brilliant teacher and writer, both concise and also surprising, is revealed the passion of a great spiritual leader. The result is an exciting and stimulating work, which can be provoking, but never boring. (Item #84853) $19.95 Available April 2008; Advance Orders Accepted Now

	Women in Church History: 21 Stories for 21 Centuries by Joanne Turpin From first-century Rome's Prisca the Evangelist, companion of Paul, to Dorothy Stang, a missionary sister in 21st century Brazil, Joanne Turpin takes us on the lively journeys of 21 women invaluable to the 21 centuries of Catholic Church history. Each woman included in this inspiring volume for her exceptional contribution to the Catholic Church also portrays personal holiness and moral courage. Paperback, 232 pages (Item #88586) $14.95

	All the Pope's Men: The Inside Story of How the Vatican Really Thinks By John. L. Allen Jr. A fascinating and enlightening look at the world’s oldest and most mysterious institution, written by an American journalist with unparalleled knowledge about the Vatican's past and present. The sexual abuse scandals that shook American and British Catholicism in 2002 brought to light a long-standing cultural gap between the English-speaking Catholic world and the Vatican. In Rome, the crisis was often seen as an attack on the Church mounted by money-hungry lawyers, a hostile press, and liberal activists who used it as a way to turn attention on such concerns as celibacy, women’s ordination, and lay empowerment. When the Vatican struck down the U.S. bishops’ draft for handling allegations of sexual abuse, many saw it as an attempt to curb an independent American Catholic church. Yet, as time passed, it became clear that the Vatican’s well-founded concerns about due process were shared by most liberal U.S. bishops and canon lawyers. ALL THE POPE’S MEN is a lucid, in-depth guide to the sometimes puzzling, often incomprehensible inner workings of the Vatican. It reveals how decisions are made, how papal bureaucrats think, and how careers in the Roman Curia are shaped. It debunks the myths that have fed the distrust and suspicions many English-speaking Catholics harbor about the way the Vatican conducts its business, explains who really wields the power, and offers entertaining profiles of the personalities, historical and present-day, who have wielded that power for good and for bad. A thoughtful analysis of the recent sexual abuse crisis sheds light on how the Vatican perceives the Church in the United States. Balanced, lively, and filled with Vatican history and lore, ALL THE POPE’S MEN provides the general reader with an authoritative picture of the highly charged relationship between the Vatican and the richest, most influential national Catholic church in the world today. Hardcover. 392 pages. (Item #88219) $24.95

	A History of the Mass- VHS This new video traces the evolution of the Mass and tells how the Mass was shaped and reshaped by times and cultures, by theologies and the arts. This video is for everyone and will be especially useful for high school and college students, catechumens, campus ministry, liturgy committees, liturgical ministers and members of the parish and school staffs. A leader’s guide is included. VHS approx. 35 minutes. Item #99660 $29.95

New! A POPULAR HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH - by Carl Koch. This concise history of the church tells the story of the two thousand year relationship between Jesus and the believers who have followed him. It is the story of people: peasants and popes, saints and heretics, martyrs and apostates. The story focuses on how common people throughout the ages have passed on the faith from generation to generation and tried to live the life of Christ. (Paperback Item #86946) $16.95

DREAM BY THE RIVER - William Barnaby Faherty (Paperback Item #89512) $19.95 (Cloth Item #89513) $29.95

CONCISE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH - Thomas Bokenkotter (Item #97052) $16.00

OUR SUNDAY VISITOR: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CATHOLIC HISTORY - Matthew Bunson (Item #87835) $39.95

STORY OF THE CHURCH: Revised and Expanded - Alfred McBride (Item #82149) $12.95

	The Courage to be Catholic Crisis, reform, and the future of the Church American Catholics divided over the future direction of their church have managed to agree on one thing in recent months: much reform is needed in the wake of the clergy sexual-abuse scandal. Weigel, a theologian and papal biographer (Witness to Hope: The Biography of John Paul II), outlines the shape he thinks it should take in this incisive analysis. More than a problem of clerical misbehavior, he writes, the present crisis is rooted in the church's failure to be faithful to its own teachings. He traces the current woes to a "culture of dissent" that he says was allowed to flourish after the reforming Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), creating an internal schism in the church. After the "truce of 1968," which allowed church leaders to publicly oppose Humanae Vitae, the papal encyclical on artificial contraception, without fear of reprisal, he says it became clear that the Vatican would not support bishops who wanted to maintain discipline among priests and theologians. Weigel lays much of the blame for the sexual-abuse scandal at the feet of the American bishops, whom he chides for acting more like corporate managers than apostles. But his criticism also extends to Rome, where he points to deficiencies in canon law and the Vatican's communications strategy. As expected, Weigel dismisses such reforms as abolishing priestly celibacy and ordaining women priests, but he counters with practical solutions, including changes in the way bishops are selected. This book should stimulate discussion among both progressive and conservative Catholics. paperback; 249 pages. (Item #81043) $14.95

	The Ideals Guide to Historic Places of Worship in the United States Over 100 photographs of historic places of worship in 44 states are featured. Includes a brief description of each historic place of worship and its role in shaping American history, information on sites divided by region and state for easy use while traveling, and addresses, phone numbers, visiting hours, and websites for most sites. Maps include highways and major cities with each featured place of worship noted. Paperback: 256 pages Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7 x 0.6 inches Item #82997 $22.95 SALE! $9.99 While Supplies Last! More Sale Books- CLICK HERE!