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! 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

	NEW! 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

	NEW! 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) $15.95

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

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
The Early Church Was the Catholic Church
by Kenneth D. Whitehead
Very often in the history of Christianity, "reformers", by whatever name, have aspired to return to "the early Church". The Church of their own day, for whatever reason, fails to live up to what they think Christianity should be: in their view there has been a falling away from the beautiful ideals of the early Church.

Kenneth Whitehead shows in this book how the early Church has, in fact, not disappeared, but rather has survived and persisted, and is with us still. "Reformers" are not so much the ones needed by this Church as are those who aspire to be saints—to follow Christ seriously and always to fulfill God’s holy will by employing the means of sanctification which Christ continues to provide in the Church.

Whitehead shows how the visible body which today bears the name "the Catholic Church" is the same Church which Christ established to carry on and perpetuate in the world his Words and his Works—and his own divine Life—and to bring salvation and sanctification to all mankind. Despite superficial differences in certain appearances, the worldwide Catholic Church today remains the same Church that was originally founded by Jesus Christ on Peter and the other apostles back in the first century in the ancient Near East. The early Church, in other words, was always!—nothing else but—the Catholic Church. (Item #90808) $14.95

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 CANON LAW: LETTER AND SPIRIT - Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland. This new commentary also carries the extensively revised version of the English-Language translation of hte text of the Code of Canon Law (published in 1983) and incorporates the various developments and interpretations that have occurred since 1983. Practical experience of working with the new Code is therefore represented in the commentary and is another advantage of this new work. HARDCOVER, 1,084 pages (Item #83095) $99.95

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
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