Religious Books

In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized the great 20th century visionary of Divine Mercy, Sister Faustina Kowalska, and proclaimed the Sunday after Easter to be celebrated annually as Divine Mercy Sunday. In 2006, Pope Benedict stressed that "Divine Mercy is not a secondary devotion, but an integral dimension of Christian faith and prayer." Now Pope Francis has proclaimed an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will begin on December 8, 2015. These three Popes have made it very clear that Divine Mercy is a major part of the Christian faith, and now this powerful new book reveals why.

Best-selling author Vinny Flynn continues his popular "7 Secrets" series with a book that brings him back to his roots. Vinny was one of the original editors of the official English edition of the actual Diary of St. Faustina, and he has written and edited a vast number of the Divine Mercy materials that are used today.

Through his "secrets" of Divine Mercy, Vinny shows how Divine Mercy is not just another worthy "private devotion"; it is the key devotion, the umbrella devotion over everything else. Every other devotion in the Church, every ritual, every activity, every teaching is under that umbrella of Divine Mercy. It's all there to help us understand and enter into Divine Mercy. He shows us how everything in our lives can become more meaningful, more powerful, more life-changing once we really embrace the gift of Divine Mercy -- the overflow of love from the Holy Trinity.

In this compelling and timely book, Flynn draws from Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the Diary of St. Faustina to not only reveal the heart of Divine Mercy, but to offer you an invitation and a road map so that this mercy can transform your life.

If you're not yet convinced of the impact Divine Mercy can have on your life, if you've never heard of this message and devotion, or if you're curious to learn more about it, this book is perfect for you. It shows us all how to respond to the call of Pope Francis "to live lives shaped by mercy," and benefit greatly from the "Year of Mercy."

We hear often that "the word of God is living and effective" (Heb 4:12). But what does that really mean for our day-to-day lives? A Joyful Noise reveals how the Psalms, sung by everyone from King David to Jesus to the Early Church Fathers to your church choir, are deeply rich and meaningful for our lives today. Author Mike Aquilina shows how to "change the racket" of modern lifeto turn from noise that distracts us toward the Psalms, those ancient songs that ring with eternal truths to this very day. Each of the thirty-five Psalms found within are paired with easy-to-read modern translations of meditations from the Fathers of the Church. The text includes questions to help reflect on the Psalms and apply these meditations to everyday life. Mike Aquilina invites you to participate more fully in a tradition as old as the People of God: to turn from the clamor of life to make a joyful noise to the Lord!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that all who die in God s grace, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death, they undergo purification so as to enter the joy of heaven (1030)
Because of the communion of Saints, the faithful, who are still pilgrims here on earth are able to help the Souls in Purgatory by offering prayers in suffrage, especially the Eucharistic Sacrifice. They also help them by almsgiving, indulgences and penance. (Taken from the Compendium of the Catholic Church # 211)
St. Pope John Paul the Great has stated that tradition, has always pointed out that those who find themselves in the state of purification are united both with the Blessed, who already enjoy the fullness of eternal life, and with us on this earth, on our way towards the Father s House (taken from cf.ccgn.1032 L Osservatore Romano & EWTN)
It is truly a wholesome thing to pray for our departed brothers and sisters in Purgatory.
Let us now pray together the Rosary for the Souls in Purgatory.

The Grail edition of the Psalms, hand-lettered by Trappist monks and set for personal chanting or choir singing.

Find some relief from the stress of the season with this fun and artistic new way to count the days until Christmas! The Advent Coloring Calendar will provide a daily dose of peace and focus. Create something beautiful by coloring a pattern for each of the the 24 days before Christmas.

"Sometimes coloring is just coloring. To put crayons to paper and create a rainbow of marks and swaths is relaxing, playful, and maybe even artistically satisfying. But sometimes coloring is more. To put colored crayons, markers, or pencils to paper is to create a pathway to the numinous. Coloring invites the body and the senses into an experience of inner stillness. While the hand moves, the mind and the body slow down. The heart and the ears open carving a space for rich silence and an opportunity for God to speak." --Sybil MacBeth, author of Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God

Fr. Martin Shannon pulls back the veil between heaven and earth with Biblical stories, meditations and sacred art on the role of heavenly messengers and their work in our lives. Angels are servants of love, doing God's bidding with a theology of burning love. God seeks out his servants, and once he has our attention, he draws us closer, long enough for the sparks of his glory to reach us and ignite a flame in our own souls. This is the work of angels.

In this well-researched, engaging, and accessible book, author Brian Schmisek carefully explains each of what the church the twelve "articles" of the Apostles' Creed and explores their meaning for a twenty-first century faith. Included at the end of each chapter is a "bottom line" summary of that article of the creed and questions for discussion on how the belief can impact our daily life.

Dr. Clyde Kilby was known to many as an early, long and effective champion of C. S. Lewis, and the founder of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, IL, for the study of the works of Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and other members of the Inklings. Less known is that Dr. Kilby was also an apologist in his time for arts, aesthetics and beauty, particularly among Evangelicals.

This collection offers a sampler of the work of Dr. Clyde Kilby on these themes. He writes reflections under four headings: "Christianity, Art, and Aesthetics"; "The Vocation of the Artist"; "Faith and the Role of the Imagination"; and "Poetry, Literature and the Imagination."

With a unique voice, Kilby writes from a specific literary and philosophical context that relates art and aesthetics with beauty, and all that is embodied in the classics. His work is particularly relevant today as these topics are being embraced by Protestants, Evangelicals, and indeed people of faith from many different traditions. A deeply engaging book for readers who want to look more closely at themes of art, aesthetics, beauty and literature in the context of faith.

In this meditative spiritual memoir, Judith Valente, noted PBS religion journalist and acclaimed poet, invites readers along on her transformative pilgrimages to Mount St. Scholastica monastery in Atchison, Kansas. The Benedictine sisters who invited Valente presented her with a view of monastic life and wisdom that brought spiritual healing to her fast-paced lifeand promises to do the same for her readers.